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LAHORE, July 25: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has said the Pakistan Muslim League is striking no deal with the Pakistan People’s Party, and because of ideological differences between the two parties an electoral alliance is out of question.
He reiterated that the present assemblies would re-elect President Gen Pervez Musharraf as president for another term.
He said general elections would be held according to the schedule in a fair, free and transparent manner. He said the PML had emerged as a strong political force owing to its public service and would contest the election from its own platform on the basis of its performance.
He was addressing assembly members, nazims and PML office-bearers of Khanewal district at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat here on Wednesday, said an official handout.
Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Mehr Raza Hayat Haraj, Minister of State for Trade Hamid Yar Haraj, Provincial Food Minister Husain Jahanian Gardezi, Finance Minister Hasnain Bahadur Dreshak, Khanewal District Nazim Sardar Ahmad Yar Haraj, PML Khanewal president Husain Qureshi and Mian Channu Tehsil Nazim Pir Shujaat Husnain Qureshi were also present on the occasion.
Pervaiz Elahi said the PML government had undertaken a record number of development projects during the last four-and-a-half year.
He said the government had provided 12 per cent more funds to southern Punjab than the population ratio of the area for removing poverty, ignorance and backwardness from the region, pledging the process would continue.
He said uplift projects worth Rs3.5 billion had been completed in Khanewal district, whereas development schemes costing Rs2 billion were also being implemented expeditiously in the area. He said a number of uplift projects in health, education, agriculture, irrigation, water supply, sanitation and other sectors were also being completed.
He said the reforms introduced in various government departments in the province had paved the way for socio-economic development of the people and a large number of employment opportunities had been generated due to which poverty rate had come down substantially.
He said the PML should win the forthcoming general elections with a thumping majority so that the development process should continue.
PML LEADER: A Pakistan Muslim League (PML) leader from Kahuta, Javaid Iqbal Satti, called on Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday.
He discussed political and party matters and problems of his area with the chief minister.
The chief minister said Satti’s entry to the PML had strengthened the party in the area.
He announced that Satti would be the PML candidate from his area in the general election.
He said the PML had become the “most popular political and democratic party of the country”, and added that the Pakistan People’s Party would be its main rival in the forthcoming election.
He said the PML was implementing a social welfare agenda in accordance with its manifesto.
Satti said he joined the PML because he was ‘impressed’ by its development strategy. He said the PPP leadership was following a “dual policy”.
PML Punjab Vice-President Shahid Riaz Satti was also present.—APP
