Thursday, May 15, 2008, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1429    

Shujaat spurns idea of a new League

Senior Reporter

Islamabad—PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Wednesday reiterated the resolve of the party to stay in the opposition and play a positive role as a robust opposition.
Talking to the media here after a meeting of the PML Senators and party office-bearers, he we expressed the view that the ruling coalition would linger on.
He brushed aside any move for formation of a new Muslim League.
To a query about the judges issue, Shujaat said the party would play its role to end the judicial crisis.
“Since the ruling coalition has failed to resolve the judicial crisis, the PML has decided to resolve the issue.
The PML meeting asked its Constitutional Affair’s committee to finalise proposals to resolve the judicial crisis”, he elaborated.
When the PML President was asked to comment over the possibility of a change in the party’s leadership, Shujaat said the issue was a forgone chapter.
“This has become a non-issue now and any effort to make it an issue should come to an end. There is no such effort and no individual or group is working to replace the elected leadership of the PML-Q”, he said.
Opposition Leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi toldnewsmen that the opposition wished well for the ruling coalition and it would support the government in resolving the issues being faced by the common public.
“We hope that the ruling coalition would remain intact and would deliver to resolve the issues being faced by the masses including price hike, flour crisis, power crisis, water and wheat crisis.
We have no desire to join the government and hope that the ruling would take practical steps in this regard as the masses have mandated us to stay in opposition”, he said.
Pervez Elahi said the PML-Q had the balance of power in Punjab province and would play a positive role by not destabilising the ruling coalition. He also urged PML’s forward bloc members to return to the party.