Party to decide candidate for PM slot, says Elahi
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—Former Chief Minister Punjab and President Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q) Punjab Chapter Chaudhary Pervez Elahi has said that he has never hinted at becoming Prime Minister and a decision in this regard will be made by Party members after the elections. Such slogans “Pervez Elahi would be next Prime Minister” are raised by the Party activists during the public meetings in various cities around the country, he said this while talking to Private TV Channel on Friday.
There is no Provincialism in Punjab, he said, adding that, late Zulifqar Ali Bhutto was elected as Prime Minister by the People of Punjab and after 2002 elections Zafarullah Jamali was given this honour again by people of Punjab. PML-Q is an ideological Party and its supporters are against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Elahi said. Former Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and President PML-N Mian Shahbaz Sharif are now part of PPP because they have committed to follow the decision of Asif Ali Zardari.
Thrice Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mian Shahbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari are not contesting elections due on February 18 because they have no leadership qualities, he lamented. Mian Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari delivered nothing instead of looting country, killing innocent people and launching attack of Supreme Court of Pakistan when their parties were in power instead, he alleged. Asif Ali Zardari has been given concession through National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which has already lapsed while he (Zardari) will be held accountable. He dismissed the recent survey report of International Non Government Organizations (NGOs) about the Party. Former Chief Minister hoped that people in the country are political aware and they will vote for the politicians who served them.
The real and genuine democracy was established in the country tenure of previous Government led by President Pervez Musharraf while PML-N and PPP in their tenures in Government registered cases against them instead of serving the masses, he said. PML-Q would win the upcoming general elections on the basis of its performance, as ambulance service started in its tenure, new roads were constructed, medicines are being given to patients in hospitals free of cost, free books are given in schools and people of the country have all basic amenities due to hard work executed by its Party during last five years. The ad campaign on cable network and TV aimed to create awareness among the masses instead of utilizing money, Elahi said. We will take every decision, which is of supreme national interest, Elahi vowed. Meanwhile in an interview chat with British new agency, Pervez Elahi said the decision to make collation Government with any other Party would be taken after the elections, as currently we are focusing on elections.
We will the elections due to the party’s track record on education and healthcare, he said, adding that, Pakistan could no longer afford to have a rigged election and party leaders needed to learn to accept defeat rather than crying foul. “It is the duty of all the parties to start educating people to accept defeat and try to find out the problems, difficulties and flaws within their own ranks rather than blaming other people,” he added. Answering to a question, he said, we have to take some more steps and tackle the real problem, which is Kashmir. “Unless it is solved, we can’t have a real relationship with India, Elahi said, added, If we say we want to have all of Kashmir, it is not possible, if India keeps on saying it is an integral part of India, that again won’t solve the problem.”