PPP will not destabilize Nawaz's government in Pak Punjab

Islamabad, Sep 9 : The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will not destabilise the government in Punjab, new President Asif Ali Zardari told a PML-N delegation led by Nawaz Sharif.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and seven other PML-N leaders accompanied Sharif to meet Zardari.

Zardari invited the PML-N to return to the coalition government in the Centre. Sharif declined the offer but assured Zardari of support, saying his party would be "a constructive opposition."

"Zardari said there were very serious challenges Pakistan had to deal with and that he needed the PML-N's support in this time of crisis," said PML-N Secretary-General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, who attended the meeting.

The Daily Times quoted him as saying that Sharif's response was very positive. It was the first meeting between the two leaders since the PML-N quit the four-party ruling alliance last month.

Zardari thanked Sharif for the visit and said greater political engagement was the PPP-led government's top priority.

Sources privy to the meeting said the two parties agreed not to issue irresponsible statements against each other.

Talking to reporters about the meeting, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said his party wanted the abolishment of the 17th Constitutional Amendment and that Zardari should take presidential oath from sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.

ANI