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Shahbaz proposes PPP expulsion from Punjab govt

* CM asks party leaders to decide how and when PPP should be asked to leave coalition govt

By Irfan Bukhari

ISLAMABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday suggested that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) should seriously consider ousting the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) from the coalition government in the province.

The Punjab chief minister was addressing a meeting of PML-N members. Sources privy to the meeting told Daily Times that Shahbaz said people would raise fingers at the alliance when the PML-N staged a protest against the PPP in and outside parliament on the National Reconciliation Ordinance issue as the party had announced. “Shahbaz said the PML-N would have to face criticism by the media and the civil society that on the one hand the party was leading protest demonstrations against the PPP and on the other, retained the PPP as its coalition partner in Punjab,” the sources said.

According to the sources, Shahbaz said party leaders must also ponder over the issue of how and when the PPP should be asked to leave the coalition government in Punjab. “In response, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said it would be premature to ask PPP to leave provincial government in Punjab,” the sources said, adding that Nawaz was of the opinion that the PPP could go back on its stance of tabling the NRO in parliament thus changing the entire political scenario in the country.”

The sources said most of the PML-N leaders in the party meeting were of the opinion that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s announcement regarding a long-standing net hydel profit to the NWFP amounting to Rs 110 billion was “a political bribe” to the Awami National Party.

“Some of the party leaders advised Nawaz to raise the issue in the press conference while others opposed the idea. The PML-N central command followed the latter suggestion,” said the sources.

According to the sources, Shahbaz also said the prime minister had not yet announced a net hydel profit for Ghazi Brotha Dam for the Punjab government.

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