“The PML-N does not believe in political coalitions for the sake of democracy and its past actions stand witness to the fact,” said the PML-Q leader. -File Photo

LAHORE: PML-Q senior leader and senior federal minister Ch Pervaiz Elahi has said that PML-N is faced with political isolation, adding its recent controversial decisions on critical issues would further isolate it.

“The PML-N does not believe in political coalitions for the sake of democracy and its past actions stand witness to the fact”, he said while responding to the media men's queries during a press conference at the State Guest House here Tuesday.

Ch Pervaiz Elahi said the PML-N betrayed the PPP after entering into coalition in the beginning, adding that PML-Q was fully committed to let PPP-led coalition government complete its constitutional term and that was why PML-Q parliamentarians supported the government on all important occasions in the NA.

To a query, he said that PML-Q did not enter into coalition earlier since it wanted to show to the masses who was at fault.

Lauding the decision of the MQM leadership to continue to support the government, Elahi expressed the hope that relations among the coalition partners would further strengthen in the near future.

Responding to a question, the Federal Minister said, “the PML-Q wishes that PPP-MQM partnership lasts long and that is why PML-Q President Ch Shujaat Hussain made practical efforts for the restoration of relations between the estranged partners in Sindh”.

On the question of PML-N being the real Muslim League, PML-Q senior leader said PML-N Quaid, who were members of Tehrik-e-Istaqlal in 1985 elections, could not claim the ownership of Muslim League while he, himself and Ch Shujaat Hussain contested 1977 elections on the PML tickets.

About the performance of Punjab government, he said that masses in Punjab did not benefit from any initiative undertaken by the Punjab government during the past three and half years.

To a query regarding poultry projects by Sharifs in the province, he said that it would give rise to dearness in Punjab.

On the question of delay in matric results, Pervaiz Elahi said “Good governance of the Punjab government can be assessed from the fact that it made the candidates and their parents move from pillar to post during the submission of admission forms and now it is unable to declare results on time”.

Regarding the land-mafia in the journalist housing schemes, he said the PML-Q had always supported the cause of the journalistic community in the country and it would stand by the journalists in their fight against the land-mafia, adding the PML-Q was the only political party which started housing colonies for the journalists.

To a question about utility stores, the minister said, “Government wants the benefits of subsidy on the utility stores reach common man.”

To a query, he said that special utility stores counters would be installed at all the press clubs of the major cities to facilitate the journalists, adding he had informed the zonal as well as regional managers of the utility Stores Corporation that shortage would not be tolerated at all.

Regarding the law and order situation in Karachi, he said all political parties would have to play their role to esnure lasting peace in Karachi.

About the grand national alliance for which Nawaz Sharif is struggling, he said, as predicted, it was grounded permanently after good grinding in the political windmill.

The senior PML-Q leader said that Punjab government had failed to start work on the Lahore Mass Transit Project which his PML-Q government had launched in 2004.

“Had the project been pursued by the present inefficient Punjab government the Lahorites would have got the facility of subway by the year 2012”, he added.

Advisor to the Prime Minsiter Muhammad Basharat Raja, PML-Q leaders Kamil Ali Agha, Akram Chaudhry and others were also present on the occasion.

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