PML-N trashes PPP’s 19-point agenda

LAHORE: In an overt snub, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has refused to propose two members from its party to be part of a committee to discuss the 19-point agenda put forward by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) regarding governance in Punjab.

The agenda – presented to the Punjab government by the PPP in seeming retaliation to a 10-point agenda given to it by the PML-N in the centre – was termed ‘useless’ and a ‘waste of time’ by Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah on Thursday.

On February 14, Raja Riaz, PPP senior minister in the Punjab government, had called on Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and presented the names of two PPP-designated members of the committee – Punjab Minister for Labour Muhammad Ashraf Sohna and Punjab Finance Minister Tanveer Ashraf Kaira.

The PML-N had to announce its members on February 15, but Sanaullah has now categorically refused to implement the PPP’s agenda in Punjab. When contacted, Raja Riaz refused to comment on the issue.

The PPP had written a letter to PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on February 3, which contained a 19-point agenda and the party had decided to stage a sit-in in case the response to the agenda was not positive. However, before that could happen, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa held a meeting on February 7 in which it was decided that Riaz and Sharif would meet to resolve the PPP’s 19-point agenda.

The PPP’s agenda includes sacking of corrupt provincial ministers as well as investigating and making public reasons behind the failure of the multi-million rupee sasti roti and food stamp schemes, and for the misappropriated money to be recovered from those responsible.

Other issues include ensuring transparency in the bureaucratic postings.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th, 2011.