Nawaz ready to embrace Asif if promises met

ISLAMABAD - Former Prime Minister and PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif Tuesday reiterated his desire to work with President Asif Ali Zardari provided the latter fulfils his promises and follows policy of fair play.
"If Asif Ali Zardari comes on the right track and fulfils his promises made with PML-N then we are ready to embrace him," the PML-N Quaid said while addressing a press conference here at the Punjab House.
He said his party would soon table a bill in the National Assembly to abolish the 17th Amendment, adding that 17th Amendment bill could be passed within 10 minutes if so desired by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
He regretted that president Asif Ali Zardari had not fulfilled the promises made with him but he would not blame the PPP for it. "My relations with Asif Ali Zardari are very old even though he had changed after winning presidential elections".
Reiterating his party's demand for reinstatement of the deposed judges, Nawaz Sharif said new judges should be appointed in the light of charter of democracy, adding that movement for reinstatement of deposed judges was a national movement. Nawaz said his party had not closed its doors for any of the political parties but for the dictator.
Answering a question he recalled that had Asif Zardari held Pervez Musharraf accountable for the present-day crises then no question would have been asked from him. "We both had agreed upon carrying out impeachment of the former President Pervez Musharraf, he explained.
While referring to the visit of the Intelligence Chief of Saudi Arabia, Nawaz Sharif said that Saudi Arabia was ready to play its role to defuse Pak-India tension and peace in Afghanistan.
He was of the view that India and Pakistan resume dialogue process to resolve their bilateral issues rather than hurling threats.
Mumbai attacks were intolerable and joint probe into such incidents was imperative, he said adding India had however disappointed by using third party to provide evidence to Pakistan.
He condemned the Israeli aggression in Gaza strip and said such Israeli violent acts against innocent Palestinians would strengthen non-state actors.
The PML(N) chief expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and called for an active role of Muslim Ummah in the its resolution. Nawaz also expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation in tribal areas.