Shujaat prefers to sit on Opp benches

LAHORE—PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has said that his party accepted the results of general election and would prefer to sit on opposition benches in the next government. Addressing a press conference at Ch. Zahoor Elahi House here on Tuesday night, he expressed satisfaction that elections were rigging-free and peaceful, adding that PML was totally agreed with the polls results.
Shujaat resolved “We will not compromise on our party’s principles and prefer to sit on the opposition side in the parliament instead of making any alliance with PPP or the PML-N to form the next government.” He claimed that PML was the parent party of Muslim League, which was registered with Election Commission under this name. He was responding to a question about PML-N’s offer to Q-League (PML) members to join the former.
PML had no lust for power and it would not make any deal for this purpose, he said and added that his party would extend full cooperation to next government in its activities meant for socio-economic development and elimination of poverty and unemployment.
To a question, Shujaat ruled out the President Musharraf as a factor for their defeat in the elections, adding that there were certain incidents (Lal Mosque operation, recent power and wheat flour crisis) and accidents (Benazir’s assassination and riots afterward) were the causes instead.
To another query, he said PML’s Central Executive Committee would decide about him (Shujaat) as the party president. “I will not contest in the by-polls,” he maintained. Shujaat Hussain said Nawaz Sharif was fast changing his statements on reinstatement of the deposed judges, and ultimately he would deny his words in this regard.
Senator Kamil Ali Agha, former federal health minister Dr Naseer Ahmed, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, Dr Atiya Inayatullah, Chaudhry Moonis Elahi ex-MPAs Dr Farzana Nazir and Shazia Chand were also present.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), backed by President Pervez Musharraf, Tuesday accepted defeat but left room for negotiating a role for itself in the next government saying that “nothing can be ruled out in politics”. Party leader and a prime minister hopeful not too long ago, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said despite the defeat in the Monday elections, his party had been able to secure a “decent” position to play a key role in the future government.
“The media is portraying that we have been wiped out from politics. No, we are very much in and we are in to play a crucial role,” Elahi told IANS. Asked if they would make an attempt to form the government, the former Punjab chief minister said: “We are open to discussion... nothing can be ruled out in politics.”
His brother-in-law and former prime minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain added that the party would be holding a meeting Wednesday to discuss future strategy. He did not rule out an alliance with other parties for forming the government.
“We accept our defeat, we are ready to sit in opposition but we want that those who were saying we should restore judges and give complete independence to media should fulfil their promises,” Hussain said, referring to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his campaign promise.—Agencies