Musharraf directs PML MPs to end political differences

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday called Pakistan Muslim League parliamentarians to bridge their political differences to promote harmony in the National Assembly (NA) and the Senate.

It is the first time since the assemblies were elected that President Musharraf used his parliament chambers to discuss the latest political situation and other issues with parliamentarians.

More than 15 parliamentarians from the ruling party called on President Musharraf in two separate groups in his chamber. Both meetings lasted over two hours.

Sources said told Daily Times that President Musharraf was dissatisfied with the ruling party’s performance in the NA and the Senate and directed the MNAs to improve their work to counter the opposition’s criticism. Sources said that President Musharraf told the parliamentarians that the government’s performance was not up to his expectations.

“The MNAs complained that their problems remained unresolved because of a lack of interest shown by top government officials,” sources said. The MNAs demanded the government increase development funds allocated to them. “The president listened to our complaints carefully and promised that he would help address them,” said an MNA who attended one of the meetings.

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, who also called on President Musharraf, told journalists that the president had directed him to promote his views on enlightened moderation through the media. He said the president had directed him to improve the standard of the Pakistan Television.

Mr Rashid informed the president about the proposed amendments to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority Ordinance. The minister said that the president had already approved the idea of allowing newspaper owners to open television channels. “The president wants the media to make positive criticism,” he added.

Sheikh Rashid said that he also briefed President Musharraf on the 7th Wage Board Award issue. “The president wants an immediate solution of the issue and has asked me to hold a joint meeting with the representatives of the newspaper owners and journalists,” he added.

Sheikh Rashid said that President Musharraf would now sit in his parliament chambers regularly.

Among others who attended the two meetings were Wasi Zafar, Asim Nazir, Tahir Shah, Riaz Fatyana, Shahid Akram Bhinder, Omar Nazir, Saima Akhter Bharwana, Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and Chaudhry Rehman Naseer.

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