Govt-allies talks vital to address challenges, says governor

LAHORE : The participants of the 26th National Security Workshop organised by the National Defence University Islamabad met with Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan at the Governor’s House here.

The delegation comprised parliamentarians, senators and people from civil society.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said government’s consultation with the coalition partners is very important to address the challenges faced by the country. He said that PMLN can't keep prime ministership without the support of Pakistan Peoples' Party. Governor said that Pakistan Peoples' Party is not being consulted despite being an ally. He said that PPP didn't forge alliance with PMLN out of love, but out of compulsion.

Governor said that he had informed his leadership President Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari about the situation in Punjab. He said that as per tradition, the chief minister should have visited the governor, adding that he broke that barrier and went to the chief minister himself and assured her that being coalition partners they should work together as a team. He said that PPP wanted the supremacy of merit.

Governor said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari played a key role in getting the 26th Constitutional Amendment passed. The experience of alliance with the PMLN in the past was bitter, he said, adding the PPP expected that the PMLN would have learnt lessons from the past. He said that despite written agreements and consultative meetings, no implementation has taken place so far.

In response to a question regarding universities, governor said that there is a need to focus on research in universities, adding that a plan to organise a workshop for students at the Governor’s House was under consideration. He said that propaganda has always been made against the PPP that the party had not delivered in Sindh. He said that the Higher Education Commission of Sindh was currently providing excellent services in terms of quality education. He said that the health and education system in Sindh province is far ahead of Punjab.