The federal and provincial governments need to work in close coordination for Pakistan's development, said Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani Sunday.

In his meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Mian Muhammad ShahbazSharif in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, Gilani said that under the constitution local government is a provincial subject and all the four provinces are empowered to take decision regarding the status and future of local bodies. Accordingly, the appointment of administrators falls in the domain of the respective provincial governments, he said.

Gilani said that the federal government is paying special attention to the development of south Punjab and in this regard projects worth billions of rupees are being undertaken for the uplift of the area.

Gilani of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) reiterated that the two major political parties would cooperate in restoring the 1973 constitution by undoing the 17th amendment and ensuring implementation of the Charter of Democracy.

Sharif, brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, briefed Gilani about the law and order situation in the province and measures being taken for maintaining public order in all parts of the province.

It was agreed that a meeting of the chief ministers of all the four provinces of Pakistan would be convened under the chairmanship of the prime minister to discuss the problems and difficulties being faced by the common man.

During the meeting, Sharif also congratulated Gilani on his successful visit to Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt and his meetings with various heads of government, including the Indian prime minister, on the sidelines of the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

On Saturday, Gilani invited the PML-N to join the federal cabinet which the PML-N quit in May, 2008.

In their talks over the telephone, Gilani and PML-N chief NawazSharif discussed Pakistan's political situation, the war on terror and the country's law and order situation.

Source: Xinhua