ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf on Monday said he was optimistic that the PPP would not only win the next general elections and return to power, but would also form the government in Punjab.

He was speaking to members of the Punjab Provincial Assembly belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) at Prime Minister House.

The prime minister urged the MPAs that they should not be swayed by the propaganda launched by the opposition.

He paid tribute to the PPP members in the Punjab Assembly for upholding the flag of the party in the face of hostile environment.

The prime minister said that the PPP-led coalition government under the leadership of President Asif Ali Zardari, pursued a policy of reconciliation, tolerance and patience.

In the last four and a half years it had a lot of achievements to its credit, he added.

The prime minister said that the PPP took over the government when the country was facing many challenges.

He said that President Asif Ali Zardari took the challenge, resolved to save the system and put the country back on track.

The prime minister said that the PPP had only won 124 seats in 2008 elections when it needed 172 to form the government.

“It was only due to the policies of President Asif Ali Zardari that we were not only able to form a government but were also successfully completing our tenure,” he added.

The prime minister said that the opposition, which criticised the Federal Government for power situation or inflation, forgot its own failure to maintain law and order or check hoarding in the province of Punjab.

Members of the Punjab Assembly, who met the prime minister, were led by Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, MNA and President PPP Punjab.

Faryal Talpur, MNA and federal ministers Qamar Zaman Kaira, Maula Bukhsh Chandio and Nazar Muhammad Gondal were also present during the meeting.