LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has said that the PPP by boycotting the Presidential election has not only committed a mistake but also not served the cause of democracy.
He said the PPP during its last tenure has itself been getting decisions of choice the from Dogar courts. The Chief Minister said this while talking to media outside Punjab Assembly on Tuesday. The PPP would soon realise the mistake it committed by boycotting the election, he said.
Shahbaz said only a few parties have boycotted Presidential election, while majority of political parties have discharged their democratic responsibility by participating in this election. Replying to a question, the Chief Minister said that democratic circles have not liked the decision of PPP regarding boycott of Presidential election.
He said that Presidential election has been held in the light of decision of higher judiciary, because Muslims sit in Aitkaf and visit Saudi Arabia for Umrah during Ramazan, due to which a large number of Assembly members would not be available in the country.  He said we went to the higher judiciary in good faith, however, when the decision of Supreme Court regarding changing the schedule of Presidential election was announced, PPP boycotted Presidential election, while majority of political parties accepted the decision.
Shahbaz said that PPP and Zardari have forgotten all those decisions which had been made by Dogar courts.
He said that these were same Dogar courts which took oath of loyalty to Musharraf, while we were declared ineligible at the behest of Zardari, but we fought a Constitutional battle.
He said Zardari was not a graduate but Dogar courts allowed him to contest Presidential election.
He said that the decisions of superior judiciary are for the welfare of the people, country and the institutions.
Online adds: Shahbaz did not answer journalists question on coalition with MQM.
The newsmen have been asking questions from the CM after he had cast vote for the Presidential election in Provincial Assembly of Punjab.
After replying to a number of questions, he clearly avoided answering a query regarding PML-N and MQM coalition.