Sharifs' disqualification: unrest forced centre to impose governor's rule: Prime Minister

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the constitutional and administrative vacuum in Punjab and unrest after the disqualification of PML-N leaders by the courts forced the centre to impose governor's rule.
"The disqualification of PML-N leaders by the courts created a grave situation of constitutional and administrative vacuum and the unrest was created in the province and it became imperative to impose governor's rule," the Prime Minister said here on Saturday while addressing the Parliamentary Party meeting. Gilani said that he has started the reconciliatory efforts after consultation with the President. Governor's rule in the province was imposed on the advice of President.
He informed the meeting that he had invited Shahbaz Sharif under the high spirit of reconciliation and for working towards stability and security of the country. "I have also appealed to those protesting on the streets to show restraint in giving way to their anger and use elected forums for venting their sentiments," he added. Gilani said that PPP believes in politics of reconciliation and principles.
"We will not allow forward blocks to create a situation of horse-trading and undermine the democratic process. Only alliances of the parties should be allowed to participate in the process," he added. He said the Parliamentary Party meeting was aimed at taking the parliamentarians on board and in confidence on national issues. Gilani told the meeting that PPP and its allied parties were taken into confidence regarding imposition of governor's rule in Punjab.
Meanwhile, Minister for Law and Justice Farooq H Naek briefed the meeting regarding the Supreme Court verdict in Sharif brothers' case, and apprised the members that the Sharif brothers were also disqualified by the judiciary in year 2000. Minister for Benazir Income Support Programme Farzana Raja told media after the meeting that the members were also informed about the necessity of imposition of governor rule in Punjab.
She said the governor rule was inevitable, as there was no party in Punjab in a position to form the government there. She said the governor rule will be withdrawn as soon as any party emerges as a majority party. She said the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani told the meeting that the government believes in reconciliation and taking sincere efforts in this regard.