More politicians hop onto PML bandwagon

* PML to emerge as largest political party: Pervaiz

LAHORE: Zafarullah Tarar, president of Pakistan People’s Party Bahauddin and former parliamentarian, and Rana Zahid Mehmood, leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in Faisalabad, joined PML after a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday.

Elahi claimed that Pakistan Muslim League was going to emerge as the largest political party of Pakistan after the party’s warm embrace by local party leaders. “Pakistani people believe in dynamic leadership,” he said adding that the government’s people friendly policies had gained the trust of the public.

“PML’s roots will strengthen and go deeper with the joining of two influential groups from Faisalabad and Mandi Bahauddin,” he said.

The two new members are accompanied by Munawar Hussain Tarar, a former provincial assembly member, Irshadullah Tarar, a union council nazim, Ali Asghar Gujjar and Shaukat Ali Rana.

“PML wants to ensure people’s direct participation in important decision making. The local body elections aim to transfer power to the grass-root level,” said the chief minister, and reiterated, “The local body elections will be held in 2005.”

“PML has undergone several critical periods to achieve a separate country where we can live with dignity and honour,” he said, adding that whosoever had the passion to serve would join PML.

The chief minister noted that the policies initiated by the government had begun yielding results in health, education and industrial sectors. “PML is getting a positive response to their reforms and new people are joining the party.”

Elahi orders bone marrow transplant for patient on govt expense: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday ordered that a 12-year-old cancer patient, daniyal, be given a bone marrow transplant on the government’s expense at the Armed Forces Bone Marrow Transplant Centre (AFBMTC) in Rawalpindi.

Responding to an appeal for donations which was published in a daily newspaper on February 1, the chief minister gave an initial grant of Rs one million to the AFBMTC to treat Daniyal and said that the final bill will be paid by the Finance Department.

Daniyal and his family thanked the chief minister and prayed for his success. staff report

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