QUETTA, Sept 3: PML-N presidential candidate Justice (retd) Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui has said that the present government was pursuing policies of the previous regime and he would change the policies, if he is elected to the office of president.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Justice Siddiqui appealed to legislators from Balochistan to cast their votes after making an objective assessment of the candidates.

He said that if elected he would make concerted efforts to curb terrorism, reinstate the deposed judges and alleviate poverty.

Justice Siddiqui said that the people were dissatisfied with the policies pursued by the present government in Fata and Balochistan. The people of Balochistan should get adequate representation in the corridors of power in Islamabad and that the government should accept their genuine demands.

He said the president being a symbol of the federation should be a non-controversial and neutral person with no affiliation with a political party.

The PML-N candidate said that the election of Asif Ali Zardari, who was also co-chairman of the PPP, as president with powers under the 17th Amendment could push the country towards unitary form of government and endanger its parliamentary character.

He said that he had met PML-Q leaders and sought their support but they said that the PML-N leadership should talk to them.

In reply to a question, Justice Siddiqui said that the “reappointment” of some judges of the Sindh and Punjab high courts was a ploy to weaken the lawyers’ movement and divide the deposed judges.

About reports relating to the mental health of Mr Zardari, he said that he had read the reports in newspapers but did not have any more information in this regard.

PML-N Secretary-General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra suggested that Justice Siddiqui should be made a joint candidate of his party and the PML-Q and the two parties should play the role of joint opposition in parliament.

He said that if the PML-N could form a coalition with the PPP there was no harm in forging an alliance with the PML-Q. He called upon the Chaudhrys of Gujarat to withdraw Mushahid Hussain Syed in favour of Justice Siddiqui.

Mr Jhagra claimed that the PML-N had wholeheartedly supported the PPP in forming the government at the centre, but Mr Zardari disappointed Nawaz Sharif by violating their agreements. He said his party could not remain in the coalition because Mr Zardari had refused to reinstate the deposed judges.

About reopening of cases against Mr Sharif and members of his family by the National Accountability Bureau, he said the cases were fabricated.