Shahbaz strikes back

LAHORE - The series of advisory letters on the formation of the govt and governance, written by both the Punjab govt and the Governor to each other, are being termed as adverse for the running of the present coalition govt in the province.


The concerned quarters, however, are making efforts to draw attention of President Asif Ali Zardari and rest of the PPP leadership on the emerging situation because the row in the largest province will also adversely affect the govt in Centre as well.


A senior political leader of the provincial govt, who has been privy to the developments, has maintained that the Governor was actualising his agenda, while the political govt had neither taken any step falling beyond the purview of the law nor Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was ready to compromise on the governance.


On the delay of the nomination of the Parliamentary Secretaries, the source said that PPP was also in the picture regarding the delay.


About the rebuttal letter written by govt, he said that the govt was considering all possible aspects, and comprehensive replies would be sent to the Governor.


About the reply to the Governor's letter regarding registration of the FIRs against the doctors, it was stated that the FIRs were registered by the aggrieved relatives, who had stated that the patients died due to gross negligence of the doctors.


According to a source, the CM in his letter has stated that he will continue to work for the masses welfare.


The CM has written:'Due to the reckless working during the last eight years, the administrative machinery has slackened and was found indulgent in a laid back approach. It is my duty as the Chief Executive of the province to work for the masses and for their betterment. I will keep on taking measures in this regard'.


The source said the Governor would be given a reply on every subject mentioned in the letters.


'We have not done anything illegal', the source added.


He also said the letter would be sent to the Governor upon Shahbaz Sharif's return from China.


Meanwhile, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan has launched a bitter diatribe against Governor Salman Taseer accusing the latter of indulging in 'immoral activities', and has said the PML-N does not consider the Governor as part of the PPP, which has virtually pushed the Punjab govt-Governor relations to another high platform of conflict.


'He holds indecent parties at the Governor's House, which is unethical and contradictory to the Islamic laws,' said Rana Sanaullah while talking to the media here on Tuesday outside the Punjab Assembly building.


Rana Sana, while maintaining that Salman Taseer was part of the Musharraf legacy, said that everybody know those persons who had ruined the country's economy.


'Now they including Salman Shah (former adviser to ex-PM Shaukat Aziz) are sitting in the Governor's House, and sucking on the masses blood. Such a person, who indulges in 'immoral activities', has been imposed upon the respectable Punjabis,' he added.


If a poor man does so, he is arrested by the police and FIR is registered against him', he said asserting that the law would take its due course.


'This is not a matter of 371 MPAs, rather of the Punjab, and the whole province will discuss the issue. The PPP should also reconsider its decision regarding Salman's appointment as Governor', he added.


The Law Minister said the PML-N neither had any dissension with the PPP, as the former thinks that the PPP was committed to the present system.


'We are having cordial relationship, and the PPP men working with the provincial govt and want to resolve masses problems. The Punjab chapter of the PPP is fully supportive, and it has accepted quite a few of our demands, as we have reciprocated them in the same vein', said Rana, adding, that PML-N separated itself from the Federal govt due to its principled stance and in the larger national interest. 'However, we have no complaints against the PPP'.


'Mian Nawaz Sharif gave a statement that after the PML-N got detached from the govt, at that time we thought that the PPP would also break away from the Punjab govt, which it did not. However, we have accepted the PPP mandate', he said.