LAHORE, March 18: Punjab Governor Salman Taseer indicated on Wednesday that he would keep the Pakistan Muslim League-N out of power in the province unless it agreed to form an alliance either with Pakistan People’s Party or Pakistan Muslim League-Q.

“If the PML-N agrees to form a coalition with another party, I will lift governor’s rule within 24 hours,” he said at a crowded press conference at the Governor’s House.

Mr Taseer, who has until now been operating from the Chief Minister’s secretariat in GOR-I since the imposition of governor’s rule in Punjab, invited PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif to “work with me” for ending the governor’s rule at the earliest.

He said he appreciated Mian Nawaz Sharif’s announcement to support the PPP government for the next five years because of restoration of the deposed judges of superior courts.

Mr Taseer’s remarks were seen here as an indication that the PPP still hopes to form a coalition with the PML-Q in Punjab.

“The day any two of the three major political parties – PML-N, PPP and PML-Q – agree to form an alliance and coalition in Punjab and give me their candidate for the slot of chief minister, I will lift governor’s rule,” he said.

At the same time, he warned against what he called politics of forward blocs and horse-trading and said it could not deliver a stable government.

None of the three parties has the required strength of 186 members to form government in Punjab on its own. The PML-N, however, claims support of 30-odd members of the PML-Q forward bloc who went to the Raiwind residence of the Sharifs to demonstrate their support.

The reality of the forward bloc and fear of more desertions are believed to be stopping the PML-Q leadership from joining hands with the PPP.