Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid) President Chaudhry Shujaat on Friday accused PML-N of pressurising its ticket holders in Punjab to change their loyalties in a bid to complete the required number of MPAs to form government in the province. Addressing a press conference here, Shujaat called upon PML-N to stop coercing PML-Q MPs and respect the mandate of each party.
He said PML-N was trying to pressurise PML-Q party ticket holders by resorting to immoral tactics like kidnapping to change their loyalties. He asked PML-N to refrain from such acts, adding that these were illegal, unconstitutional and immoral negating the democratic norms.
He alleged that many PML-Q members in Punjab have been kidnapped at the behest of PML-N and efforts were being made to create a new party through unfair means because PML-N was not in a position to form the government Punjab. He was of the view that the old stance of PML-N of lifting governors rule in Punjab has been softened and now it wants to prolong it to gain some time for convincing PML-Q MPs. "This style of politics is not possible in Pakistan; however, if they want to indulge in such practices they should do it in India," Shujaat remarked.
He said that the mainstream political parties were busy in turning tables on each other for last many months for the sake of power instead of resolving the issues of poverty, unemployment, economy slowdown and the rights of the small provinces. Shujaat said the undemocratic language is being used against his party by PML-N. He said we had extended hand of friendship to them in the larger interest of Punjab. But due to the arrogance of PML-N it could not be materialised, he added.
Shujaat said future co-operation with PML-N would be subject to the change of attitude and giving up unconstitutional means to change the loyalties of our people. He said a four-member committee comprising Senator Wasim Sajjad, S M Zafar, Chaudhry Anwar Bhinder and Dr Khalid Ranjha has been constituted to take legal action against PML-Q turncoats so that horse trading could be stopped and lessons be taught to them for crossing the floor.
He asked the members of the forward bloc either to come to PML-Q or resign from the seats because they had no right to sell their conscience from the PMLQ platform. He said that PPP-led government has gone for the review petition in the Supreme Court for the sake of a single
person, which has created doubts about impartiality of the government. He said that horse trading was done in Sindh in 2002 which turned PPP into a minority. To a question, Shujaat said PML-Q has made it clear that it wont enter into any understanding with the PPP government both in Punjab and Centre. He said his party would patiently hear the Presidents speech to the joint session of the parliament today (Saturday).