ISLAMABAD, Sept 2: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman said on Tuesday that the Pakistan People’s Party would not destabilise the coalition government led by the PML-N in Punjab and her party had no intention of quitting the ruling alliance in the province.

The announcement comes in the wake of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s assertion that after the reinstatement of deposed judges, the PML-N would rejoin the coalition government in the centre.

At a news conference, the information minister rejected speculations that the People’s Party would make any effort to destabilise the Punjab government, saying that her party was part of the ruling coalition there.

The PML-N has been publicly calling upon PPP to quit the Punjab government.

Last week, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal had formally asked the PPP to “show dignity and play a role while sitting in opposition benches in Punjab as we did at the Centre”.

Mr Iqbal had even stated that if the PPP continued to be a part of the Punjab government, it would be a contradiction and people would assume that the party wanted to “remain in power at all costs”.

He said that if the PPP did not quit the Punjab coalition government, the PML-N would decide about it.

The PML-N and the PPP had entered into an agreement on March 9, which is known as “Murree Declaration”. The two parties had agreed to form coalition governments at the centre and Punjab after PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari agreed to reinstate the judges within 30 days of formation of the federal government.

However, the relationship between the two parties soured after Mr Zardari let three deadlines for the restoration of judges pass and as a result, the PML-N formally quit the coalition government in Islamabad on Aug 25.

Sherry Rehman was apparently unaware of the latest move by the National Accountability Bureau, which submitted an application before a special court in the morning seeking the re-opening of three corruption references against the PML-N chief and members of his family.

When the information minister was asked about the move, she categorically denied that NAB was reopening cases against the Sharif brothers.

She said that after being elected as the country’s next president, Asif Zardari will work for complete transition towards democracy in the spirit of Charter of Democracy.

She said Mr Zardari’s election would result in political stability, parliament’s sovereignty and strengthening of democracy.

Ms Rehman said Mr Zardari had emerged as a consensus candidate of almost all political parties, including the Awami National Party, Mutahidda Qaumi Movement, Balochistan parties and independent-minded PML-Q members of parliament.

Ms Rehman said Mr Zardari would be different from former president Pervez Musharraf because the PPP co-chairman was not planning to enter the presidency by violating the Constitution and he also had not created a “King’s party”.

HONOUR KILLING: Ms Rehman said later in a statement the alleged case of honour killings in Balochistan was being investigated at the “highest level” and there was a consensus among all political forces that such a heinous practice should not be condoned.

She said the PPP co-chairperson had discussed the issue in a meeting with the prime minister and stressed the need for punishing the people responsible for the crime.

The minister said the government was determined to root out anti-women practices.

Referring to a resolution unanimously adopted by the Senate condemning the incident, she said it reflected the consensus of all political forces and public representatives that the practice was unacceptable.