Pakistan Views

Opposition Leader in National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi Wednesday on said his party would strongly defend any move to impeach President Pervez Musharraf.

Addressing a press conference after his meeting with President Musharraf, he said the confrontation posture adopted by the ruling coalition was not a prudent approach and “if the democratic process suffers, the responsibility would lie with the ruling coalition”.

Flanked by MNA Marvi Memon, Pervaiz alleged that the government had not fulfilled even a single promise they made to the people in the election campaign.

“The country is facing a crisis-like situation and the poor are forced to commit suicides. Economic situation is on the downward slide and Stock Exchange has also crashed”, he alleged.

He alleged it seems that they are capable of handling the affairs.

Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi called on President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday to discuss the present political and government situation in the country.

The sources said the two leaders would discuss the national political situation, where the coalition partners are planning ouster of Pervez Musharraf with possible impeachment.

Following the reports of meetings between Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif regarding his impeachment and restoration of the deposed judges, Musharraf cancelled a very significant China visit and started consultations with his allies.

The sources said a new set-up is being put on the anvil; whereas, a new alliance is also in the pipeline. Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is also being contemplated in the this meeting.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) on Wednesday announced to launch movement against the government as the government has failed to provide relief to masses.

Party leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi addressing a press conference here said that the government has been a total failure. He said the opposition will issue a white paper about performance of the government.

Elahi said that his party would not allow disbanding of the local bodies at any cost.

He said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) wants to dissolve the local councils as they have only two percent representation in local bodies in Lahore.

He said the opposition had given five months to government to provide relief to the people but it was failed as prices have reached to the sky.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar on Saturday took strong exception to Pervaiz Elahi’s speech in the National Assemmbly and said he was part of the regime which was responsible for bad governance.

Speaking in the lower house of the parliament during budget debate, she said the leader of the opposition was giving lectures on good governance and economy.

He was part of the regime that had ruled the country with absolute power during the last five years and contributed to mismanagement.

Hina said the agriculture sector was ignored by the previous government as a result of which the country which exported wheat has become a net importer.

She said Pakistan was going through the worst inflationary pressure because of bad management of the past government and rising oil prices.

She said when they were in power, why they did not initiate Kalabagh dam.

She said the budget has focused extensively on social safety net for the poor and referred to the Benazir support programme, which she added was for the poorest of the poor.

Elahi in his speech had termed the budget for the fiscal year 2008-09 as negation of PPP’s manifesto and called it ‘headless.’

Chaudry Pervaiz Elahi, Opposition leader in National Assembly has said that present government is not focusing on inflation and other problems faced by general public. He was talking to party ticket holders and officials from Sailkot here Friday, leader of opposition further said that despite focusing on issues like inflation, power crisis and other problems, government was busy settling of scores from their political opponents in Punjab. He was of the view that bringing political issues on the street would harm Parliament.

The leader of the opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has congratulated the new speaker of the house Dr. Fehmida Mirza Wednesday after her election as the presiding officer of the lower house of the parliament.
Speaking as the leader of the opposition Pervaiz Elahi assured his full cooperation to the speaker and said the opposition would back all good deeds of the treasury and would oppose government acts and policies, which the opposition would find against the interests of the people. He assured the speaker that the opposition benches would not create unpleasant situations in the house and would protest in a polite way.

PML-Q on Tuesday named former Chief Minister of Punjab Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi its Parliamentary Leader in the National Assembly. The decision in this regard was taken in a meeting of the parliamentary party of the PML-Q presided over by the party President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, and attended by the majority of the newly elected MNAs from across the four provinces.
Newly elected MNA from Sindh Ghaus Bakhsh Mahar proposed the name of Elahi to lead the party in the Parliament while Engineer Amir Muqam from NWFP endorsed it. All the party members unanimously expressed confidence in the leadership of Elahi and named him for the post.
Addressing on the occasion, Elahi said he would take along all the party members in all matters and fulfilling all the Constitutional responsibilities, the party would prove a strong opposition in the National Assembly.

Pakistan Muslim League Central Executive Committee (CEC) has nominated Pervaiz Elahi and Hamid Nasir Chattha as party parliamentary leaders in Centre and Punjab respectively. The party CEC held its meeting here on Saturday with Shujaat Hussain in the chair and discussed party’s performance and future strategy.
Later, addressing a press conference, Shujaat said that his party had decided to nominate Pervaiz Elahi as parliamentary leader in National Assembly and Hamid Nasir Chattha would be parliamentary leader in Punjab Assembly. In reply to a question, he said that being the largest party among the opposition, leader of opposition is the right of PML-Q both in Centre and Punjab. He said that besides forming a coalition government in Balochistan, PML-Q would sit on the opposition benches in Centre and other three provinces where it would play the role of constructive and vibrant opposition. When asked about the restoration of sacked judges, he said that his party would not play with the sentiments of the people by making such claims. Shujaat said that the party is strong enough to go ahead with full political activities, and would not be affected by some defections. When his attention was drawn towards the on-going dialogue between PPP and MQM to form a coalition government in Sindh, he said that PML-Q would not have any objection. On the occasion, Secretary General Pakistan Muslim League Senator Mushahid Hussain said that the party would form a Parliamentary Committee to prepare for legislation in the parliament, and added that a ‘Research and Analysis Committee’ would also be formed to review the party’s performance, from time to time in future.
He said that by sitting on the opposition benches, the PML would play constructive role as far as the national issues would be concerned ie foreign policy, provision of provincial rights and rights of minorities as well as economic policies.
He said that the morale of party workers and leadership was very high due to the fact that it got more votes than PPP and PML-N in the February 18 elections. He said that according to the Election Commission statement, PML-Q and its coalition got 11.3 million votes, PPP 10.5 million and PML-N got 6.6 million votes.

Central leader of PML-Q, Choudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that his party will accept polling results gracefully. In a telephonic interview with Geo News, former Punjab Chief Minister said that poll results point to mass judgment and his party will level no accusations of poll rigging. He said that PML-Q had been saying from the outset that election would not be rigged. Elahi said he was willing to assume the role of opposition party. “President Musharraf is still our President and we have chosen him for a five year term” he added.
Elahi said he was positive that PML-Q would get votes considering its five years performance, however poll results would be accepted gracefully.

Former chief minister Punjab and Pakistan Muslim League (PML) leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that there is little difference between Asif Ali Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif. He was addressing a traders convention held at the Pakistan Muslim League House here on Wednesday.
Trade leaders, PML-Q office bearers, the party nominees for the elections and other party leaders including Chaudhry Zahir, Sheikh Umer Hayat, Qamar Butt and Amin Butt attended the meeting. Pervaiz Elahi claimed that hypocrisy and deception is the hallmark of the PPP and PML-N leadership. “Both have several common features, the most common being that they never act upon what they claim or say,” he observed.
He asserted that Zardari had bank accounts with billions of dollars in Switzerland and Spain, while Nawaz Sharif’s family is looking to get some space in Surrey Palace where he can run and hide after a being defeated in the elections. “Where was the Sharif family when the citizens of Pakistan were facing the trauma of massive death and destruction during the earthquake of 2005 and other tragedies”, he questioned.