Pervaiz Elahi welcomes briefing over Swat operation

ISLAMABAD,: PML-Q leader and former Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Thursday welcomed the government decision to hold a briefing for all the parliamentary party leaders of National Assembly over Swat operation, saying its ‘better late than never’. Talking to the journalists here at the Parliament House, the opposition member said this was a good decision taken by the government to take all the political parties onboard over the Swat operation.

However, he opined that the decision to convene an All Parties’ Conference (APC) was a bit late. In my view, this is a delayed decision and this moot of national significance should have been held even before the cabinet meeting, he added.

Over the issue of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Elahi said this was the biggest displacement of the country’s history and to meet this huge challenge, the nation would have to revive its spirit to help the needy and affected which was expressed after the earthquake of 2005.

“The PML-Q has constituted its relief fund with initial amount of Rs. two million while the PML-Q provincial chief Amir Muqam is looking after the affairs at PML-Q relief camps established in NWFP,” he added.

Elahi urged the Uelma and religious scholars to work vigorously to promote the true teachings of Islam. He said the Ulema should also work for peace and launch joint efforts for the awareness of general public about the perpetrators who had badly damaged the image of Islam and had created law and order situation in Fata and Malakand division.