Lahore:
Morality in the PPP camp seemed to lift after a coordination meeting with PML-N, which ended with insurance policies to tackle the party’s complaints in Punjab, with a follow-up meeting scheduled for April 12.
The two parties also agreed to form another four-member subcommittee who meets weekly to review the progress, according to a PPP office carrier.
The almost two-hour session held in the Punjab Governor’s house and participated by senior leaders from both sides ended on a positive note-in contrast to the previous meeting that had reached a stalemate.
A party source credited PPP co-chair and President Asif Ali Zardari for progress with reference to his call to PML-N to refrain from unilateral decision making during a joint session.
According to the source, while a few questions remain unresolved, PML-N recognized most of the PPP’s concerns offering insurance on decision or commits to further discussions for useful solutions.
However, PML-N did not accept PPP’s requirement to issue funds for certain notables. It questioned how individuals who either did not contest elections or run as independent could be considered PPP representatives. The problem, the source said will be reviewed at the committee level.
Meanwhile, PML-N agreed to solve land-related questions for Punjab University’s Potohar-Campus. The question of discretionary means now placed in the background was discussed, especially in relation to allocations to PPP legislators.
PPP recognized Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s performance, but raised concerns about certain controls. It pointed out that projects such as Suthra Punjab and Model Villages were primarily executed in PML-N fortresses.
Coordination in South Punjab had already improved, while PML-N in central Punjab in Central Punjab insured PPP for better cooperation.
According to a statement from the Governor’s House, both parties confirmed their commitment to working together and quickly implementing projects with public interest. They also agreed to hold coordination meetings in the first week of each month, with the next session set at April 12.
The meeting also reviewed Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz’s welfare and development initiatives throughout the province.
The meeting attended key representatives from both PPP and PML-N. PPP was represented by former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Punjab -Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan, Nadeem Afzal Chan, Ali Haider Gillani and Syed Hassan Murtaza
The PML-N delegation was led by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Other notable participants included Rana Sanaullah, Khawaja Saad Rafique, Azam Nazeer Tarar, Mariyum Aurangzeb and Punjab -Assembly speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan.
The party of the party revealed that a four-member subcommittee including Hasan Murtaza, Ali Haider Gillani of PPP and Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan and Marriyum Aurangzeb from PML-N were formed. The committee reviews progress every week.
He agreed that this was not the first time a committee was set up by the two parties to solve their differences, but such a committee was never operational. He admitted that PML-N had previously made similar insurance as PPP, but pointed out that this time this time was the political climate.
In a separate development, a party leader revealed that President Asif Ali Zardari will attend a Polo event in Lahore Sunday. He said the president will attend an IFTAR dinner at Nawab Shehzad’s residence after the event. He said they have not been made aware of any political meeting.
Before the meeting of the Coordination Committee, a provincial task committee meeting was held at the Governor’s House. The meeting was led by PPP Central Punjab President Raja Perez Ashraf. The meeting mainly decided to bring changes to sheikhupura district.