PTI, PPP united over demand for new province: Shah Mehmood Qureshi

Says PTI is in contact with opposition leader for appointment of caretaker PM

MULTAN: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday that a political consensus existed between his party and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in favour of creating a new province in Punjab.

He was talking to media after visiting Makhdoom Wajahat Hussein Gillani who is admitted to the Nishtar Hospital.

Qureshi said the opposition parties had yet to develop a consensus on the appointment of caretaker prime minister. The PTI, he added, wanted a caretaker set-up that would ensure free, fair and transparent general elections.

He said the PTI backed the demand for South Punjab province. For the purpose, he said, he had scheduled a meeting with the leadership of Janoobi Punjab Sooba Mahaz in Lahore today (Sunday) so a joint strategy could be adopted.

The PPP and the PTI have unanimity over the demand of separate province, he said, adding that the demand for Bahawalpur province would distort the southern Punjab province movement.

“The PTI is in contact with opposition leader for the appointment of a caretaker prime minister. However, the opposition could not finalise a unanimous candidate for the post,” he said.

The PTI leader said his party would not allow the kind of bad practices that were observed in the 2013 general elections.

He said former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and PTI chief Imran Khan were close friends and the former did not require any reference to talk to Khan.

“Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is a seasoned politician and he had always made efforts to prevent collision between his party and institutions,” he remarked.

Qureshi said the government had no right to present a budget for the next 12 months while the government was set to complete its tenure in 45 days. “The government was elected for five years so it cannot present six budgets. The PPP and the MQM have supported our stance on budget presentation,” he said.

He also lambasted Indian tyrannies on innocent Kashmiris. He said the appointment of Ali Jehangir Siddiqui as ambassador to the US was not justified at a time when the National Accountability Bureau was investigating him. “The government should appoint an experienced diplomat as ambassador to the US.”



The PTI leader said his party was going to hold a historic meeting in Lahore on April 28. “Imran Khan will present party manifesto in the meeting,” he said.

He said the PTI invited every citizen to join the party and was committed to accountability for all. He also blamed the government for “exploiting masses financially” and said the government looted peasants and did not provide them any relief.

Qureshi said if the masses elected the PTI, it would bring reforms in the country. He said the PTI was standing with the judiciary to continue the accountability process.