ISLAMABAD - Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed insisted on Sunday the nationalist parties were not annoyed with Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for making a contact with Muttahida Qaumi Movement.
Talking to this news agency here, Rasheed clarified PML-N only asked MQM to cast vote in their presidential candidate Mamnoon's favour and that they did not offer any ministry to Muttahida. Tomorrow the nationalist parties would require MQM's vote for their prime minister.
He said Pakistan People’s Party knew the consequences of presidential elections and it would be very difficult for them to digest the results, so they boycotted the polls.
Back in 2007, when a uniformed president was contesting elections, PPP took part, but what happened now that they were deciding to keep themselves away from the presidential polls, he said while adding the boycott would leave a bad sign on the democratic face of PPP.
"No one is angry with the ruling PML-N. The prime minister is in touch with all the coalition partners .It is a routine matter that political parties meet each other. We met with MQM regarding presidential elections. We went to all political leadership including Fazlur Rehman, Aftab Sherpao, Akhtar Mangal, Pir Pagara and Mumtaz Bhutto and requested for vote,” concluded Rasheed.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Pervaiz Rashid has said that the government believed in the policy of dialogue for the promotion of democratic culture and ensuring stability of democracy and democratic institutions in the country.
He said that boycott of presidential election by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was against the democratic norms and principles. The Information Minister said that the government would implement decisions of the superior courts in letter and spirit. Pervaiz Rashid said that Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) believed in the politics of tolerance, political harmony and promotion of political stability in the country.
Talking to a private television channel, he said that the government would address all reservations of the opposition parties as his party welcomes the positive criticism. Replying to a question, the Information Minister said that the government desires to have consensus among all stakeholders to effectively tackle all the challenges faced by the country. He hailed the decision of Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) to support the PML-N candidate in the upcoming presidential election.