News
Govt to further efforts for national reconciliation
ISLAMABAD, Dec 27 : Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz held a meeting with President Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and discussed with him efforts for national reconciliation and forthcoming local bodies elections.
The meeting was held at the residence of Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. Former Prime Minister Mirzafarullah Khan Jamali also attended the meeting and briefed them of contacts with opposition parties.
The three high profile personalities expressed pleasure over the Leader of Opposition’s acceptance of invitation for meeting with the prime minister. They expressed optimism that the opposition will play positive role for the sake of stability of democratic institutions and for resolving all the issues.
Informed sources said that the meeting was of the view that all the political prisoners should be freed to build the confidence of the opposition parties and to further the efforts for national reconciliation.
PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain apprised the Prime Minister of views of different political parties regarding restoration of religion column in the Passport. In this connection he also informed about his meetings with President Pervez Musharraf and Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao.
The Prime Minister assured that the religion column in Passport will be restored in the next meeting of the Federal Cabinet.
They also discussed the performance of the district governments and exchanged views on the local bodies elections to be held in 2005The meeting also discussed reorganization of Pakistan Muslim League.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said that the government was striving to make Pakistan an enlightened, modern, economically prosperous and strong state, known among the world's modern nations as envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
The Prime Minister said, the PML was the country's founder party, which always practices the politics of tolerance, consultation and principles and played an important role in strengthening the country's democratic institutions.
He said the government has set a new course of development of the country, bringing in a political and socio-economic stability, which is a good omen.
The Prime Minister said the continuity and implementation of the positive policies has put the country on road to progress and development, which is showing improvement with the passage of time.
Shaukat Aziz also briefed Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mirzafarullah Khan Jamali about his successful visit of China. He said Pakistan's friendship with China is based on cultural, diplomatic, economic and defence cooperation. He said his visit has given a new impetus to the exiting cordial ties between the two countries.
They also discussed the next SAARC Conference, to be held in January next in Dhaka, of which Pakistan is the current chairman and playing an important role in bringing the South Asian countries closer.
Chaudhry Shujaat said the party fully supports the government's efforts to strengthen the regional forum of SAARC. He said the party believes that the SAARC can play a very positive role in changing the destiny of the people of the region.
Later talking to NNI, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain said that they discussed current political situation in the country and other related issues including opposion’s movement against and dual role of President Pervez Musarraf and efforts for national reconciliation.
He also informed that the President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz have summoned separate meetings that would took important decisions regarding holding of local bodies elections.