PML-C dealt a blow as Zahid Sarfraz joins Azhar group
A former federal minister, who is an NA candidate from Faisalabad seat, announced his decision at a news conference at which Mian Muhammad Azhar, Mian Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and Mian Muhammad Munir were also present.
The defection took place a day after the talks between the PML-C and the PML-QA on seats adjustments failed. Mr Hamid Nasir Chattha demanded more seats than the PML-QA was willing to give.
Zahid Sarfraz said since both the PML-C and the PML-QA were pro-government, he wanted their merger. But, he regretted that the ego of some leaders proved obstructive.
He said under the rules of the politics, it was always the smaller faction which merged with the bigger one. But, he lamented, this did not happen.
In his opinion, the PML faction headed by Pir Pagara should also have amalgamated with the two factions because of similarity of objectives.
Answering a question, he said the government should leave it to the future parliament whether or not some constitutional amendments were needed.
At present, he said Gen Musharraf was making all amendments under the PCO. But the situation would change with the election of the new assembly. The Legal Framework Order should be discussed by next parliament and its unworkable portions should be struck down.
MIAN AZHAR: PML-QA President Mian Azhar insists that all constitutional amendments announced by the military regime should be placed before future parliament for approval.
Talking to reporters at a news conference on Monday, he said it would be erroneous to assume that his party had supported all provisions of the Legal Framework Order.
He clarified that his party was still of the opinion that the president’s power should be confined to sacking the cabinet and assembly should not be dissolved in any case.
He said his party was supporting only the right policies of the government. He said he had been following the same policy during the Nawaz Sharif period and was doing the same now.
Mian Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said it was the Supreme Court, not the PML-QA,which had authorized the military regime to amend the Constitution.
Mian Azhar told a questioner that his party was opposed to the policy of confrontation. If voted to power, he said, the party would give due importance to the opinion of opposition parties.
Meanwhile, Mian Azhar declared here on Monday that although he had filed his nomination papers for PP-137 (Lahore), he would not be contesting this seat.
He, however, did not give any reason for the decision.
Some press reports had said recently that his candidacy from the provincial seat had not been liked by the Chaudhris of Gujrat.
Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi is a candidate for the office of the Punjab chief minister. Chaudhry Shujaat Husain was scheduled to be present at the news conference at which Mian Zahid Sarfraz announced his decision to join the party, but he did not turn up.
Ex-PPP MNA: Former MNA and Hafizabad PPP president Mehdi Hasan Bhatti joined the PML-QA after meeting Chaudhry Pervez Elahi here on Monday.
Mr Bhatti has immediately been granted PML-QA ticket for NA-102, Hafizabad and his friend Liaquat Abbas Bhatti for NA-103 and Shaukat Ali Bhatti for PP-106.
Meanwhile, Mian Zahid Sarfraz has been given ticket from NA-85, Faisalabad, Dr Muzaffar Ali Shaikh from PP-105, Muhammad Rafiq Gujjar from PP-107 and Mumtaz Alam Gilani from NA-189, instead of Musarrat Idrees.