Zardari, Gilani ask PPP to stop making 'statements' against PML-N

Lahore, Feb. 23 (ANI): Pakistan President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have asked Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and PPP leader Qasim Zia to stop making statements against the PML-N leadership and instructed them to observe restraint.

The Punjab Governor, however, has denied receiving any such instructions from Gilani.

"I have not received any such instructions from PM Gilani," The Nation quoted Taseer, as saying.

Zia, however, went to the extent of saying that no one could bar him from issuing any statements.

"If anyone hurls accusations against the party or party chairman, then it cannot not be tolerated silently," he said, adding that he had not received any advice from Gilani.

Sources claimed that Gilani, in his telephonic conversation with Punjab Chief Minister on Sunday, assured Shahbaz that he had asked Taseer and Zia to refrain from issuing provocative statements against the PML-N leadership.

The Prime Minister reportedly advised them not to go to media without consulting with the party leadership.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman said the Prime Minister has directed all members of the government to refrain from making any inflammatory statements that may aggravate the situation between the Centre and Punjab leadership.

Zardari, who reportedly has taken a strong notice of statements by Taseer, Zia and other PPP leaders against the PML-N, has barred them from passing such remarks without the party leadership's permission.

After getting orders from the President, the PPP leaders have postponed their press conferences.

Earlier, Zia had dared the PML-N to start legal proceedings against former President Pervez Musharraf for toppling the Nawaz Sharif government in 1999, instead of blaming PPP for taking Musharraf's dictatorial policies forward.

Meanwhile, Taseer had said that that PML-N leader and former premier Nawaz Sharif was still learning politics from President Asif Ali Zardari. (ANI)