Nawaz hints at Qureshi meeting, backs B'pur's old status

He said his party not only supports creation of Bahawalpur province but also wants that the status of Bahawalpur as state be restored.“We not only support creation of Bahawalpur province but also want that its old status as Bahawalpur State be restored. By the grace of God Prime Minister therein will be ours,” he said this while talking to media men here Wednesday at the residence of MNA Mian Baligh-ur-Rehman after condoling with him on the death of his father.He alleged the government could not run any matter in a befitting manner. All the institutions are heading towards destruction, he added.“We had endeavoured to support PPP-led government so that it could resort to Charter of Democracy and end menaces of poverty, unemployment and inflation. But government proved itself incompetent and we parted ways with it,” he underlined.The government enjoyed full support of opposition but the rulers did not pay any heed to us, he said adding “I will say to the people to extend help to us for stabilization of democracy in the government so that change could be brought about in the country.The country had made progress during democratic eras, he said.Nuclear blasts, thunder planes and motorways are the best examples in this connection, he said.The GDP growth rate had risen to 8.5 percent in my tenure, he said.Had it been maintained then the country would have reckoned among the developed countries today, Nawaz said.The PML-N chief went on to say this is difference between democracy and dictatorship that Pervez Musharraf surrendered on one telephonic call but those who were at the helm of affairs under democratic dispensation did not lend ears to five calls of US president and made the country nuclear state.Responding to a question, he said Shah Mehmood Qureshi was his good friend and he remains in contact with him. “I will soon meet him at his desire,” he said.Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, senator Parvez Rashid, Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor, Saud Majid and Mian Baligh ur Rehman were also present on the occasion.