He expressed these views while addressing a news conference at the office of PML Like-Minded Punjab Information Secretary Mian Muhammad Asif. Muttahida Muslim League (MML) provincial chapter office-bearers were also present.
Sheikh Rashid hinted that a technocratic set-up was expected in near future and said, "I do agree with President Asif Ali Zardari who himself had quoted that he (Zardari) is hearing the discussions about the technocrats."
He alleged that the poor governance, wrong policies and decisions had made the most peaceful province of the country, Punjab, a worst hit province by terrorism with surging crime rate.He claimed that the provincial and the federal governments had failed to deliver and provide relief to the masses.
Responding to a query about the unification of all factions of Muslim League, Sheikh Rashid said that he had no desire to visit Raiwind. He said those who considered the Muslim League as their 'pocket watch' or 'stick' must remember that their selfish approach had already caused serious loss to the party.
He said the repeated division of the Muslim League had weakened it and there was a bright hope that the 'third force' would be the beneficiary of the situation. He, however, responding to another question said that he was still in contact with PML-Q leadership and often talked to them over the national issues. When asked to comment on the PML-N stance regarding the unification of Muslim League, he said that the people of the country had witnessed that both main political forces PPP and PML-N provided cushion to each other during the last three years. There is no chance of 'no-confidence' motion as this cooperation will continue, he added.
Responding to another question, he said "We have not committed any crime so why should seek apologies to PML-N. If supporting a general is a crime so the PML-N had set this precedent by supporting a military regime (without naming Zia-ul-Haq regime).
To a question about the young doctor's strike in Punjab, he said Shahbaz Sharif should personally deal the issue otherwise 'Hakims' will be replaced with the doctors in the hospitals, he taunts. He said that it was the worst negligence on part of the government that the patients had been ignored.
Sheikh Rashid said that he along with Mian Asif will hold meetings with the Muslim League workers in all the cities of Punjab, including Lahore, Faisalabad and Gujranwala. He said no one should consider the workers as its property especially when failed to deliver.
He vowed that from the platform of MML all the workers of the Muslim League would be convinced to gather at one platform so that none of the other force could get any advantage from the division of Muslim Leagues.
To another question, Sheikh Rashid said that the investors were hesitant to make investments owing to the bad governance and poor policies of the rulers and even the flight of capital was touching its peak. He said that this was the time to redress the core issues to avoid the masses' wrath.
PML Like-Minded Punjab Information Secretary Mian Asif at the end of the news conference said that his party was making its best efforts not only for the unification of Muslim League but also to pull the country out of the crises being faced by it at present. He also vowed to continue his efforts in the best interest of the country.
