Shujaat says new assemblies won’t complete tenure
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—President Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Friday cast doubts on the fate of the present assemblies, saying that he would give the date for next elections after two months time.
“I will give you the date for next elections after twomonths,” he told the media after having a detailed meeting with PPP-Sherpao Chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao at his residence.
Shujaat said he had called on Sherpao and both the partieshad decided to sit on the opposition benches in the National Assembly. To a question regarding impeachment of President PervezMusharraf, Shujaat brushed aside such a possibility, saying that there was no solid reason for the President’s impeachment.
“Why should the president be impeached? Who can forget theservices he has rendered for the homeland and its people duringthe past eight years. Should such a person be impeached as Nawaz Sharif has enmity with him? No way,” he said.
Shujaat said both the leaders had discussed the futurestrategy at length. He said the law and order situation in NWFP was a sensitive matter and even the country’s sovereignty banked on NWFP. “We want to resolve the issues of WANA and other tribalareas. We would stay in the opposition and prove that if politicians are sincere, they can contribute in national development process,” he said.
Aftab Sherpao said his party had decided to support the new government in NWFP unconditionally but he would head his party in the National Assembly in the opposition. He said his party was in consensus with the PML on majorissues, however, he said there were some issues over which his party had a independent stance.
To a question, Sherpao said his four MPAs had met PPP ChiefAsif Zardari with his consent and there was no discipline issue in his party.
“My party has offered unconditional support to the newgovernment in NWFP in larger public interest so as they could resolve issues being faced by the people. If the new government wants to resolve issues like Swat through dialogue, wewould support them,” he said.
Sherpao ruled out possibility of merger of his party withPPP, saying,”question does not arise of our party’s merger with PPP. We had left the party on principles and we are supporting them in public interest. My party would adopt anindependent stance on each issue.” Commenting over his party’s support to President Musharraf,Sherpao said his party had voted in support to the president and he has been elected for five years. When PPP-S Chief was asked to comment on ANP’s move to change the name of NWFP, Sherpao said he had moved a resolution to change the name of the province some years back and his party would support such a move.
PML Central Vice President Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, PMLSecretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed and PML President SindhArbab Ghulam Rahim assisted Ch. Shujaat Hussain during the talks while Senator Anisazeb Tahirkheli assisted Aftab Sherpao.
President Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain Friday called on Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Muhammad Farooq and urged the Election Commission to ensure early redressal of complaints lodged by PML candidates across the country. Flanked by PML Central Vice President Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani and PML President Sindh Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Ch. Shujaat shared the concerns of the party candidates regarding the reported electoral anomalies committed by the opponent candidates especially in Sindh.
He told CEC that his party had accepted the election results with a open heart. However, he discussed the concerns of the party regarding irregularities during counting and recounting reportedly committed during the polls.