PML-Q seeks unity to face tide
By Asim Hussain

ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Friday said Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam) should display the unity as the general elections are drawing near.
Talking to PML President Ch. Shujaat Hussain and Chief Minister Punjab Ch. Pervez Elahi here at the PM House the Prime Minister said PML was now geared up for election. He said that the re-election of President General Pervez Musharraf would ensure continuity and consistency of policies and progress of the country and strengthen democratic traditions.
During the meeting the PML President Ch. Shujaat Hussain discussed the overall political situation with the Prime Minister and informed him about the current status of the dialogue process going on with different political forces in the country.
Ch. Shujaat Hussain said PML and allied parties have strong candidates in every constituency to comfortably win the mandate of the people who are sensible enough to distinguish between the performance of various parties.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said the PML government has taken numerous steps to transfer the benefits of high economic growth to the people, focusing particularly on the uplift of the rural areas. The Prime Minister said the government’s key priority was to improve the standard of living of the people and ensure provision of basic needs including education and health facilities at the grassroots level.
He said the local bodies form the foundation of political system at the grassroots level and was the best way to empower people so that their problems could be solved swiftly. The Prime minister appreciated the recent initiative taken by the Punjab government for increasing salaries and allowances of teachers that would cost the province Rs. 4 billion.
The Prime minister said the provincial governments should take immediate steps for constant monitoring of prices during Ramzan and ensure strict action against illegal profiteers. He directed that the price control committees and the Price magistrates be tasked to keep a strict vigil.
He said the supply of essential items to the Utility Stores has also increased and has led to a decline in prices in the open market. Ch. Pervaiz Elahi briefed the Prime Minister about the political situation, law and order and ongoing uplift programmes in Punjab.
He said due to economic policies of government, ample resources have become available and uplift schemes especially mega development projects were being completed expeditiously in the province in a transparent manner. The Chief Minister informed the Prime Minister that instructions have been given to the district governments to help set up utility stores at tehsil level in pursuance of the Prime Minister’s directive.
He said the Punjab Government also plans to rebuild and overhaul the entire sanitation and sewerage system in the province to prevent recurrence of gastroenteritis and ensure provision of clean drinking water to the people. He also apprised the Prime Minister of the steps taken by the Punjab government to maintain law and order in the province during Ramadhan.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday said the upcoming elections will allow the people of Pakistan to elect those candidates who have served the people and helped the country to move on the path of development and growth. He was talking to Khawaja Sheraz Mehmood, MNA and Parliamentary Secretary for Finance, who called on him here at the Prime Minister House this evening.
The Prime Minister said that the general elections will be held in a free and fair manner to enable the people to express their will freely. He said the PML and its allies are well poised to participate in the elections on account of their performance during the last five years..