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LAHORE, Dec 23: The PML-N has no objection to government-PPP reconciliation and is will rather be happy if the latter manages to end the army dictatorship through this effort.
Parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly Rana Sanaullah Khan told reporters in his chamber here on Thursday if the PPP could make the army dictator quit and hold free and fair polls in 2005 the PML-N would support it.
The PML-N would wholeheartedly accept the mandate if the PPP or any other political force came into power as a result of these polls, he added. "Any political set-up will be better than the army rule."
Rana Sana did not believe that the PPP could strike a deal or compromise with the government on issues of restoration of democracy and holding of fair elections. He rejected all reports in this regard as dis-information campaign by the government. Political analysts here say that the PML-N is hoping against hope that any reconciliation between the PPP and the government can also benefit its exiled leaders.
The party expects that in case of reconciliation the government will have to offer some relief to PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto in the form of withdrawal of cases against her and allowing her to return home. This in turn will make room for accommodating the Sharifs under the same relief package, they say.
QASIM ZIA: The PPP says the uniform issue is not figuring in reconciliation talks with the government. At a press conference here on Thursday, Punjab President Qasim Zia said policies on national issues like Kalabagh dam, Kashmir, etc., were being discussed during the reconciliation work.
Information secretary Naveed Chaudhry and media adviser Iqbal Sialvi were also present. Mr Zia, however, said the party would not sign any underhand deal as reconciliation efforts would succeed only when Gen Musharraf would relinquish charge of both the offices, president and army chief.
The PPP leaders demanded release of workers arrested on Dec 21 from Islamabad airport when they had gone there to receive Asif Zardari. They assailed Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi's claim that the Punjab government had implemented court's verdict by arresting Mr Zardari from the airport.
"Were raids on workers' houses, police pickets to check activists from entering Rawalpindi, and arrest of those who managed to reach the airport also on the direction of any court?" they questioned.
They accused the government of discrimination by not allowing the PPP to hold any rally or public meeting for welcoming Mr Zardari while other parties were free to do so. They regretted that the Rawalpindi district Nazim had approved route of the rally on Dec 20 but the provincial authorities prevailed on this permission.
They said interest of federation had been damaged by arresting Mr Zardari from Islamabad airport though he remained in Karachi for hours even after cancellation of bail in Justice Nizam murder case. The PPP had moved privilege motions in assemblies against barring MPs from entering airport lounges though they were carrying proper documents.
