Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League (PML) has demanded that local goverbment elections in Punjab be held on one day.

PML President and former prime minister Ch Shujaat Hussain presided over the party’s organising committee meeting on Tuesday. Talking to media after the meeting, senior central leader and former deputy prime minister Parvez Elahi said that local bodies election in the Punjab should be held on one day, and added that nobody trusts the sitting election commission, and all parties have unanimously demand that all its four members resign.

“They will not let a transparent election be held as long as they are there,” he claimed. Expressing solidarity with the armed forces and paying homage to the martyrs, Elahi said September 6 will be observed enthusiastically.

MNA Tariq Bashir Cheema, Ch Zaheeruddin Khan, Muhammad Basharat Raja, Sardar Maqsood Leghari, Nauman Langrial, Abid Ashraf Jotana, Dr Arif, Major (r) Tahir Sadiq, Riaz Asghar Chaudhry, Shafay Hussain, Sajid Ahmad Khan Bhatti, Shahid Manzoor Gill, Dr Azeemuddin Zahid Lakhvi, Mian Munir, Khurrum Munawar Manj were among a large number of party leaders who attended the meeting. Elahi said party’s reorganisation has been started and in this connection, first Kisan Convention will be held on September 16 in Gujranwala and second in Kasur.

Conventions will be held in all provinces under the chairmanship of Shujat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain Sayed, the PML leader said, adding that the PML-N has destroyed local government in eight years.

He said the party will fully and actively participate in the local bodies’ elections and district presidents will issue the tickets. In this connection, a section has also established in the Muslim League House. “Other parties have contacted us for taking part in the local bodies’ elections,” Elahi revealed.

Speaking about the energy crisis, he said the only solution of electricity and water crisis lies in the construction of Kalabagh Dam. “Development of farmers is also linked with this dam.” Elahi said that in the meeting, party leaders have empowered Shujaat Hussain to form a grand opposition alliance. In reply to a question, he said former president Asif Ali Zardari has demanded accountability over the murder of 14 people in the clash in Model Town last year and action be taken against Shahbaz Sharif and Rana Sanaullah. He asked why no action has been taken over the video of Rana Mashood and statement of Ishaq Dar on money laundering.