'Q' questions legality of PM and Cabinet

LAHORE - Opposition leader in National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that President Musharraf had not committed any crime, and the country owed much to the president for putting in place the present political set up. "If he was not a constitutional president, then how the prime minister along with his cabinet which took oath from him, could be acknowledged as constitutional," he questioned while addressing workers convention held under the auspices of Pakistan Muslim League at Faisalabad on Tuesday. Opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Ch Zaheeruddin, MNA Asif Tauseef, Dr Atiya Anayatullah, former Federal Minister Mushtaq Cheema, MPA Dildar Cheema, Rana Zahid Mehmood and Mumtaz Cheema also addressed the convention. Pervaiz said if the president was unconstitutional, then the legality of four chief ministers and their cabinets could also been challenged because president's nominated Governors administered oath to them. "If the President is unconstitutional then every member of assembly is unlawful and illegal," he maintained. He alleged that the coalition government had totally failed to bring the country out of crises, while new issues were being created to divert the people's attention from real problems. He blamed that the Punjab government was harassing PML-Q workers but they would not bow down before its atrocities. Ch Pervaiz observed that the coalition government could not come up even with a single policy in five months to provide relief to the poor. Flour crisis, he said, could not be handles even after new wheat crop had reached in the market. People were still crying for flour, he added. Where has the new crop of wheat gone now, he asked. He said that on the eve of 61st Independence Day, the Pakistan Muslim League along with people of Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to protect two-nation theory and would not let the sacrifices of workers of Pakistan Movement go unrewarding. He vowed that he would not allow making Pakistan dependent on India and would thwart all efforts being made in this regard. While expressing his views on Indian-held Kashmir's worse circumstances, Pervaiz Elahi said India could not dare use bullets on Kashmiris as long as there was strong government in Pakistan. Pakistani authorities, he blamed, would never ask their Indian counterparts as to why Indian army gunned downed a Kashmir leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz the other day. He said the present government's apologetic attitude towards India on Kashmir issue would not be tolerated any more.

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