Shujaat’s conditions for PML unity

Published January 13, 2009

LAHORE, Jan 12: Pakistan Muslim League (Q) President Shujaat Husain has put forward three conditions for unity with the PML-N.

“A conducive atmosphere and an end to victimisation of his party workers, unity on the basis of ideology and not doctrine of necessity to save or to come into power and change in attitude giving up all sorts of accusations related to the past,” he said.

He was addressing a meeting held in connection with the celebrations of the 103rd foundation day of All India Muslim League by the Pakistan Movement Workers Trust and Nazaria-i-Pakistan Trust at their auditorium here on Monday with Majid Nizami in the chair.

PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif had authorised Mr Nizami last week during his speech at the same place to work for the two PML factions unity on merit giving him an assurance that the PML-N would accept his decision. Ch Shujat Hussain was invited to give his views on the possibility of unity with the PML- N.

Reading out a prepared speech, the PML-Q president said that the district nazims were being victimised as 90 per cent of them belonged to his faction of the Muslim League. He asked Mian Nawaz Sharif to have a large heart and “we are prepared to hold negotiations on equal footings and honour with you.”

He revealed that when Majid Nizami visited his house last week to initiate mediation, a spokesman of the PML-N disowned the conciliation process.

He said that PML-Q should be considered like a family whose members could have different views and thinking but had the capacity to take decisions sacrificing their ego and personal views.

He asked Mian Nawaz Sharif what grievances he had with the PML-Q, which had taken care of his family when he was in exile. He said that Ch Pervaiz Elahi, who was being charged with various accusations, had provided all protection to the Mian Brothers and their families, businesses and their employees during five years of his rule in the Punjab.

He said the present political situation of the country and the world demanded much more than the unity of the PML factions. “The need of the hour is that all political parties and sections of the people of the country should join hands to save and rebuild Pakistan. We should give a message to the world that we are against atrocities being committed upon the Muslims of Palestine, Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir and many other countries.” He said that there was great need for the unity of the Muslim Ummah to stop Israel from massacring the people of Palestine.

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