Awami National Party (ANP), a ruling coalition partner, has warned the central government that any adventurism to destabilise the PML (N)-led government in Punjab would be a serious blow for the present political system, which is yet to take root.
If the PPP Punjab leadership started the destabilisation process in the province, the PPP central leadership would find it almost impossible to contain it within the province, the ANP central leadership informed President Asif Ali Zardari and other PPP leaders.
Sources told Business Recorder here on Friday that any move aimed at depriving the PML (N) from the Punjab government would be against the democratic spirit. This will be taken as a move against peoples' mandate, sources said. Meanwhile, PML (N) said it is ready to face any eventuality. We know how to defend people's mandate in the central province, said a PML (N) leader.
When contacted, the ANP central information secretary Zahid Khan denied that his party had given any warning to the central government. But at the same time, he said that ANP was of the view that people's mandate should be respected in centre as well as each federating unit. "We think that people gave a mandate to PML (N) in Punjab. It must be respected.
In Sindh and centre it is the PPP mandate to rule to the country. In Pukhtunkhwah (NWFP), people gave a mandate to ANP," he said. He said that all political parties should respect the mandate, which each party was having. If the mandate was not respected, then the democratic set up will face an uncertain situation.
Senator Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, secretary general PML (N) said he was hopeful that PPP will not do any blunder by interfering in the affairs of the Punjab government. I don't think that PPP leadership will take on the PML (N) just for the sake of one man said the Senator with concealed reference to the Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer.
However, the Senator said that PML (N) leader Nawaz Sharif had stopped all the party leaders from becoming part of any move to destabilise the present political set up. "And that is why the PML (N) leaders are not coming forward to openly expose and criticise the weaknesses of the government."
He said that mid-term polls were not agenda of PML (N). But avoiding this needs prudence from the government. The rulers will have to keep back their personal agendas. They will have to pursue the course in national interest. This is the way in which we can ensure the completion of five-year term by the present government, he added.
Jhagra claimed that his party had never submitted a formal complaint with the President against Punjab governor. "We never did in the past. We will never do so in future. This will show as we are on weak footing while the case is that we have people mandate in Punjab. This is our strength," he added.