Seraiki province: Luring in voters, Gilani brings out the ace card

The premier campaigns for his son who is contesting the NA-148 by-election on a PPP ticket.

MULTAN: Campaigning for his son in Multan, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, once again, pullout out the ace card.

“The PPP will soon gift a new Seraiki province to the people and fight against all obstacles,” the premier told a public gathering on Sunday in Multan’s NA-148, where his son Musa Gilani has been nominated by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

The seat was traditionally contested by former stalwart Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who defected to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

Responding to allegations that talk of a new province was a mere political ploy, Gilani said: “I announce today that I will accept the demands of the opposition and other parties who have suggestions on how to create the province. I will support them if they try to achieve the goal through a movement, protests or a vote.”

The premier also hit out at ‘king’s parties’ which, he said, have emerged in Pakistan before every election. “These parties have short lives. Once the king escapes, the party ceases to exist,” Gilani said.

Continuing to downplay the emergence of competition from newer parties, he said that no one can sabotage the mandate of the people of Pakistan that the ruling PPP enjoys.

Talking about the cases, involving the federation, pending with the Supreme Court, Gilani said that putting the federation on trial to weaken it will be tantamount to violating the constitution and directly threatening the country’s sovereignty.

“We have been accused of not respecting the judiciary. I would like to clarify that it was the PPP that not only gave the nation a viable constitution but also fought for the independence of the judiciary,” Gilani said, adding that there has been no political pressure on the judiciary during his government’s tenure.