MULTAN, March 31: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi’s tour to the city on March 30 and his public meeting at the Qasim Bagh Stadium has left a debate in the political circles of Multan. To ruling party people, the meeting was a huge success while by opposition standards, it was a flop. Surprisingly, some disgruntled in the Pakistan Muslim League (PML) have also called the meeting a failure and said the people at the helm had lost public support.

Doctor Muhammad Khalid Khakwani, PML vice president, complained that he was ignored during the visit of the chief minister as he was not invited to any programme. He said that political parties should value sacrifices by the workers and not individuals.

Tariq Naeemullah, who was removed from PML general secretary post two months ago, said the PML had been converted into `Faisal League’, implying towards the `hegemony’ of District Nazim Faisal Mukhtar in party’s affairs. He alleged that Mr Mukhtar had driven out workers and leaders from the party, making it unpopular in Multan.

Syed Fakhar Imam, former National Assembly speaker, said the people of Multan had distanced themselves from the meeting because they had good political sense and were aware of the rulers’ performance.

Babu Nafees Ahmed Ansari, PML-Nawaz’s MPA. called the meeting an `official show’, adding that the government had spent over Rs50 million on the meeting and even forced sanitary workers and teachers to attend it.

He said the chief minister had overlooked the demands of federal minister Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan and provincial minister Rana Qasim Noon to declare Multan a big city.

Zaibun Nisah, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal’s MPA, said the government had better spend Rs50 million on development projects instead of wasting it on the meeting.

She alleged the Punjab government had not released her development funds.

Dr Javed Siddiqui, Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians’ MPA, said the `poor show’ had disappointed the chief minister to the extent that he did not announce a single penny for any new project for the city.

Mian Faisal Mukhtar, district nazim, said that not a single political party had tried to organise a public meeting at the Qasim Bagh Stadium in the last 25 years. As such the PML should be credited for arranging the public meeting at the stadium.

He said the chief minister had given funds for all the district departments.

The chief minister followed in the foot steps of President Pervez Musharraf and kissed the forehead of Mr Mukhtar.

President Musharraf had also kissed the forehead of Hafiz Iqbal Khakwani in Khanewal on December 18, 2006.

Abbas Akbar Moni Shah, Sher Shah town nazim, also claims that Mr Elahi kissed his forehead at the meeting. Tariq Naeemullah, however, refutes Moni’s claims, saying “the chief minister just gave a pat on his cheeks”.