LAHORE, March 28 Former Punjab senior minister Raja Riaz Ahmad has welcomed the announcement made by President Asif Ali Zardari regarding lifting of the governor`s rule during his address to the joint sitting of parliament.

Talking to APP here on Saturday, Riaz called the lifting of governor`s rule a good step and said that it would help in strengthening democratic institutions.

“The PPP is committed to pursue a policy of reconciliation with other political parties,” he said, adding that PPP legislators in the Punjab Assembly would support the PML-N candidate for the slot of chief minister.

He said the PPP honoured the decisions of co-chairman and the prime minister regarding working relationship with the PML-N and that this would also help in discour- aging `horse-trading` in the province.

He maintained that the PPP would play its constructive role by sitting in the opposition and it would facilitate the PML-N government to function in a better way.

“Both the PPP and the PML-N should work together for further promoting democracy and strengthening economic condition," he emphasised. - APP