MULTAN
Former foreign minister and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi asked the government on Monday to go to UN Security Council against American drone strikes, saying if the US could revisit its policy on Syria, it should revise drone policy as well.
Talking to the journalists here at the residence of slain Allama Nasir Abbas, he said that the Security Council’s recent resolution against drone attacks ratified PTI’s stance on this issue. “Today the world has realised that the drone attacks should be stopped and the killings of civilians, women and children in these attacks should be investigated,” he added. He said that the participants of the All Parties Conference had adopted a unanimous resolution against drone attacks but this issue could not be resolved through mere resolutions. “The government should go to UN Security Council against drone attacks while setting aside the fear that the US will veto the resolution,” he suggested. He said that if the US veto the resolution, it would result into increase in international pressure on her.
He declared that after Lahore, a protest demonstration would be held in Umar Kot on January 6 and Rawalpindi January 24 against price hike. He disclosed that the price hike and inflation registered horrible increase because of printing of over Rs8.5 billion currency notes by the government during last five and a half months. He said that the government had given another news of increase in petroleum and gas prices from January which would further add to the hardships of poor people. He disclosed that the PTI had submitted a requisition for convening national assembly session on two-point agenda of price hike and law and order situation but the government turned down the request. He claimed that the PML-N, PPPP and ANP had also signed the KPK assembly’s resolution on suspension of Nato supply and against drone attacks. He said that Nato supply was suspended for the last one month and it could be stopped in entire country, if the Sindh and Punjab governments cooperated with the PTI. He dispelled the impressions that either the PTI tried to influence foreign policy by blocking Nato supply or price hike increased because of its sit in. “In fact, it is complete failure of government that the prices are continuously going up,” he maintained.
Answering a question on local government elections, he said that the polls had become controversial. “Delimitations of constituencies are being changed according to the will of the leaders of ruling party while tenders worth millions have been released right after the pronouncement of elections. It’s pre-poll rigging,” he maintained. He declared that despite government’s rigging tactics, the PTI would fully participate in the election.
Referring to recent wave of sectarian killings in the country, he demanded the government to unveil the faces of killers of Allama Nasir Abbas and Maulana Shamasur Haq Moawia if they had been caught. “If the killers are arrested and arms and money are recovered from them, the government should tell the citizens that who is behind this conspiracy,” he demanded. He regretted that the routes for Chehlum processions could not be fixed in Rawalpindi because of government’s failure to catch and punish the culprits involved in Rawalpindi tragedy.  He urged upon the clerics to exhibit sectarian harmony on eve of Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA).