Zardari asks Taseer to avoid anti-'N' remarks

ISLAMABAD - Co-Chairman Pakistan People's Party Asif Ali Zardari has asked newly appointed Governor Punjab Salman Taseer to avoid making such statements public that can provoke Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leaders and accelerate existing confrontation on the issue of gubernatorial slot, TheNation learnt reliably here on Sunday.

"Zardari has instructed Governor Punjab to adopt a soft approach while commenting about PML-N and its government in Punjab," the sources told, adding that the statement of Taseer at the oath taking ceremony had further fuelled the fire among the coalition partners.

It is pertinent to mention here that Taseer made an impulsive speech after swearing oath and went critical when he said, "Nobody should try to teach us what democracy is". He had also vowed to turn Punjab into PPP's stronghold like Larkana and announced to get Bilawal elected from Punjab.

"PML-N that is already at loggerheads with PPP over the appointment of Taseer exhibited its strong disapproval over the hawkishness of Taseer's address," the sources told. The sources added that Zardari took the timely notice of mounting controversy and asked Taseer to have a mild tune and be careful while speaking openly. "The statements of Governor Punjab during his visit to Garhi Khuda Bukhsh were reflecting the changed set of mind," the sources claimed.

Taseer during his brief visit to Sindh immediately after swearing oath had said that he was enjoying cordial relations with PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif and was ready to meet him to remove the misunderstandings of PML-N if he (Nawaz) wanted to do so. Governor Punjab also said that there was no reason to destabilise PML-N government in Punjab.

The sources further revealed that in the PPP parliamentary meeting on May 14 most of the party legislators from Punjab had exhibited their concerns regarding Punjab government saying that they were being ignored in the province. "Most of the PPP MPAs had the objection that the civil administration of the province was not heeding towards their directions and requests," the sources told, adding that they had said that they were not even able to get some officer transferred or posted.

"Some of the PPP legislators from Punjab also supported to form an alliance with PML-Q in the province," the sources told, adding that PPP Co-Chairman had turned down the proposal of doing such a deal with Q-League and also opposed to dislodge PML-N government in the province.

PML-N Vice President Zafar Ali Shah talking to TheNation said that the aggressive tune of Taseer's speech after taking oath had proved that the reservations of PML-N over his appointment were logical.

PPP Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said he was unaware of such kind of instruction by PPP Co-Chairman to Governor Punjab. "There was nothing provocative in the speech of Taseer therefore it seems useless to direct him to adopt soft stance," he said. "PPP Co-Chairman talks to numerous people on phone daily, therefore, it is not possible for me to have knowledge of every phone call," he observed.