LAHORE: Pakistan People's Party Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that Memo scandal conspiracy was hatched only to divert international attention from the Salala checkpost attack, adding that memogate scandal was of no worth.

“Court findings and the report of the parliamentary committees on the memogate will reveal beneficiaries shortly”, he said during a press conference at a local hotel on Tuesday.

Kaira was flanked by PPP leaders Samiullah Khan, Usman Malik, Iqbal Sialvi and a large number of workers at the press conference.He said that memogate was also an effort to avoid public wrath through national consensus of political and armed forces.

The PPP leader said it was unfortunate that matters pertaining to the parliament were being dragged into the courts, adding that such acts depicted a wrong picture of democracy abroad.

Criticising political moves by a political party of blame game against the elected President and the Prime Minister and efforts to derail democracy, he said PPP had never blamed the Presidents or Prime Ministers despite being in opposition with few seats.

He said some political figures were following a liar like Mansoor Ejaz who did not bother to come to Pakistan and bring an end to the smart-play.

The PPP Information secretary said Hussain Haqqani had not established any contact with the US government seeking protection for the democratic government, stressing that Haqqani did not need an intermediary like Mansoor Ejaz to get in touch with the US officials.

Rejecting the idea of security lapse in the May 2 Abbottabad operation, he said it could not be deemed negligence of the intelligence agencies as international agencies were equally unaware of Usama Bin Ladin's presence.

“It was not government, cabinet or parliament's job to hunt Usama Bin Ladin but intelligence and security agencies”, he stressed.

He urged all the political leaders to give top priority to all the institutions of the state and ensure supremacy of the parliament.

Setting aside Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif's diatribe against the Prime Minister, he said the parliament has passed 81 bills, 95 ordinances, 6 private members bills and held its four joint sessions which is the most brilliant performance in the history of Pakistan by any Prime Minister.

About loss of precious human lives in the PIC spurious drugs case, he said it was regrettable to hold the federal government responsible for something when the provinces had drug inspectors to check medicines, adding that it was unfortunate that the Punjab government had not endorsed Drug Regulatory Authority despite efforts by the federal government.

The PPP leader said Punjab CM Shahbaz held more than half of the ministries in Punjab, adding that Shahbaz Sharif should pronounce himself as the King and appoint his envoys instead of calling these hapless members as ministers.

Regarding food security, the PPP leader said there was no problem like the food security in the country.

To a query, Kaira said PPP government had managed to achieve successes on the economic front despite the fact that it had to face international economic crisis, devastations by two floods in its four year tenure and even after these circumstances, prices of rice and wheat had been decreased and Pakistan was in position to export both the items.

Replying to a question about extension to the COAS and DG ISI, he said the circumstances and the security situation in the country then demanded the grant of extension to the COAS.

He rejected the opposition propaganda regarding appointment of CEC, adding that under the 18th amendment it has been decided that members of election commission would be elected through consultation with all political parties in the parliament as well as the opposition.

Kaira said Chief Election Commission (CEC)'s tenure ends in March 2012 as per the constitution, stressing that PPP always believes in fair and transparent electoral process and has established a free election commission.

He said a committee has been set up under the chairmanship of Syed Khursheed Shah and members from all the political parties including Senators Islam-ul-Din Sheikh, Moulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Haji Adeel, Raja Zafar-ul-Haq and MNAs Arif Aziz, Dr Farooq Sattar, Ghayas Ahmed Paracha, Zahid Hamid, Khawaja Asif, Abdul Qadir Baloch and Tehmina Doultana to decide on the appointment of CEC.