LAHORE, Oct 16: President Pervez Musharraf should personally supervise the relief and rehabilitation work in the quake-stricken areas. World Punjabi Congress chairman Fakhar Zaman told newsmen at a press conference on Sunday the prime minister and his cabinet “have failed to deliver”.

The president should “take action against parliament soon after the situation improves, boot out parliament and arrange holding of fresh election as the legislators merely fulfilled the formality of visiting the affected people with expressionless faces,” he said, and added these were his personal views.

However, he appreciated the government move to convene an all-party conference, and termed it a timely decision. He also urged the opposition parties to join hands with the treasury to handle the aftermaths of the quake.

He said the APC should be broad-based. People from all walks of life, especially intellectuals, scholars, writers, poets, educationists and technocrats, should be invited besides Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.

“Personally, I see no harm if President Musharraf presides over the APC,” he said.

The devolution system was proving to be a hurdle in carrying out relief work as there was a lack of coordination among nazims, DCOs, MNAs and MPAs. “Every one is working for his own vested interests.” Gen Musharraf should take personal interest to execute relief activities, he said.

Mr Zaman said a WPC team returned from India a few days ago and could not collect goods for the quake-hit people, but its members individually participated in relief activities.

The WPC would now be collecting bottled water, blankets, tents, biscuits and other eatables and hand over the same to an army relief camp at the Fortress Stadium, he said.

The Indian chapter of the WPC, he said, was also sending goods for the quake-hit people. The Indian journalists were also collecting goods for the purpose.