A meeting of the PPP parliamentary party of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was held here and discussed political situation in the province. President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the party co-chairperson, presided over the meeting held at Presidency Tuesday night, and was attended by party MNAs and federal ministers.
President Zardari said the policy of reconciliation would continue for political and social stability and economic development of the country. He said the fight against militancy was the foremost priority of the government because everything else flowed from protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the country.
The President said that far-reaching advances had been made in the political landscape of the country during the last two years, which were made possible only by the deliberate policy to take along all political parties and forces in the country.
Recounting the achievements of democracy, the President said that these included the passage of the constitutional reforms package in the National Assembly, the 7th NFC Award, the Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan package, social and political reforms in Gilgit-Baltistan, the poverty alleviation programme under the name of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and the planned social and political reforms in Fata.
The President expressed the hope that 18th constitutional amendment bill would also be smoothly passed in the Senate. The speakers expressed their views on the current political situation, the new political challenges before the government, issues in militancy and the development activities in their constituencies. The President said that he would hold another meeting with the PPP Parliamentary party of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa after the return of the Prime Minister from the United States.
Those who attended the meeting among others included Arbab Alamgir, Minister for Communications, Rehman Malik, Minister for Interior, Najmuddin Khan, Minister for SAFRON, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Minister for Water and Power, Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Asma Arbab Alamgir Khan, MNA, and PPP MPAs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly. Senator Sardar Ali Khan, Rukhsana Bangash, Fauzia Habib and spokesperson to the President former Senator Farhatullah Babar were also present at the meeting.