LAHORE / QUETTA, Nov 29: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has said that it is his duty to redress the grievances of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
“They are our friends and it is our duty to take care of their grievances. Only a few days back they had supported us. I am certain, we will be able to woo them back,” he told reporters after the oath taking of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi as chief minister of Punjab on Friday.
When pointed out that Mian Azhar had objected to the induction of the PPP-Patriots members into the cabinet at the cost of the PML-Q MNAs, he said Mian Azhar was the president of the party and he could say anything.
Asked if he planned to change the composition of his cabinet, the prime minister said Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain was the parliamentary party leader of the PML-Q in the National Assembly. “We take decisions after consulting him,” he said, but hastily added “we also talk to Mian Azhar.”
Earlier, Chaudhry Shujaat claimed that the MQM had not said goodbye to the PML-Q. “We’re in contact with the MQM as well as the MMA.”
He said his dialogue with the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leadership on the Legal Framework Order was making progress. “Both parties,” he revealed, “have already reached consensus on 21 clauses of the LFO out of a total of 28.”
“The talks on another three clauses are making headway,” the PML-Q leader said. He said the issue of uniformed president was on the bottom of the list.
He denied horse-trading, saying the members of assemblies were not sucklings. “The opposition is levelling allegations just for the sake of it.”
In Quetta, the prime minister said he was confident that the PML-Q and the MMA would be able to form a coalition government in Balochistan.
He was talking to newsmen after meeting provincial leaders of MMA and PML-Q.
“I am hopeful about the success of our negotiations with the MMA,” he said and added that talks were also in progress for their support in the Centre.
Replying to a question he said that a coalition of the PML-Q and MMA in Balochistan would be in the larger interest of the province. “We want to give a stable government to the entire country,” he told reporters.
About the restoration of the abolished districts of Balochistan, the PM said that an announcement would soon be made in this connection.
Responding to yet another question regarding the withdrawal of MQM from his government, he said that there was no immediate threat to his government.
However, he said that he had only seen these reports in the newspapers and the MQM had not informed him officially.
He said that he would talk to the MQM and other parties to solve the problem.
“We want that democracy should flourish in the country,” the prime minister said and added that all parties should play their role in this regard.
He said that Balochistan was his native province and he would give full attention to its development.