KARACHI, May 25: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday invited the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional to join the upcoming federal government.

Mr Sharif also said the federal government, led by Nawaz Sharif, would cooperate with the next Sindh government in restoring law and order, eliminating extortion and culture of plunder turning on Karachi’s lights and enabling people to live in peace. He also pledged to help the Sindh government set up a metro-bus system in Karachi on the model of its Lahore counterpart.

Mr Sharif, also chief minister-designate of Punjab, was talking to media persons after his two-hour luncheon meeting with PML-F president Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi at the Raja House on Saturday. Sindh chapter president of the PML-F Pir Sadruddin Shah Rashdi and PML-N central leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan were also present on the occasion. He said that with the fresh mandate from the people new governments were about to be formed and after the induction of Nawaz Sharif as prime minister, the foremost step to be taken would be to initiate a metro-bus system in Karachi “as per our commitment prior to the elections”. “We have the expertise and experience in laying a metro-bus system in Lahore and our services would be available free of cost as a gift of metro-bus system from the federal government to Karachi,” he said.

Similarly, he said, the issue of clean drinking water supply to the people in the interior of Sindh would also be solved through mutual cooperation in a transparent manner.

Those involved in the plunder of public money, rampant corruption and misappropriation of relief funds would be made accountable, he added.

Responding to questions, Mr Sharif said in Karachi there was no issue of power breakdowns while in Lahore there was almost no electricity at all. However, the power shortage was an issue of the entire country and after their formation the governments would make every effort to solve the issue as the priority number one.

He regretted that the last five years were wasted without any progress on the Thar coal power project, but now one could expect that the new government would pay due attention to it.

When asked if the PML-N had contacted the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Mr Sharif said a few days back Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad had contacted him by phone and they had exchanged greetings on the electoral success of their parties.

Regarding the formation of the government in Balochistan, he said the issue would be resolved by mutual consultation by leaders of the PML-N, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and National Party.

He invited Pir Pagara to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the prime minister and also to visit Lahore.

The PML-N leader at the start of the briefing said he had come to Karachi to greet Pir Pagara on behalf of his party and Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on the achievement of the 10-party alliance in the elections despite an adverse influence of Asif Ali Zardari on the administrative affairs before and after the caretaker government. In the Sindh government a close relative of Mr Zardari was made additional chief secretary from education secretary which showed that the entire administration worked against transparent elections.

Mr Sharif said they had contested the elections jointly and hoped that soon all Muslim League factions would unite on one platform, which would send a good message to the people, having its particular impact on Sindh.

Earlier talking briefly to media persons, Pir Pagara said they discussed many issues, including the issue of bringing all factions on one platform.

“Allah has given another opportunity to Nawaz Sharif to bring all Muslim League factions on one platform,” he said.