Country cant afford another martial law

LAHORE At a time when the ruling PPP is trying to win back the support of its estranged allies MQM and the JUI-F to maintain its majority in the 342-member National Assembly, PML-N Quaid Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said here on Thursday that his commitment to democracy does not mean his party will play any role for the survival of a 'corrupt government. 'We will not like to become part of any game of musical chairs; we have buried the dirty politics for good, he said while addressing a convention of his party workers on the 104th Founding Day of what was once the All India Muslim League, which turned into Pakistan Muslim League after the creation of Pakistan. A large number of leaders from all the provinces were present on the occasion. 'We are not supporting the government. The governments supporters are the people who talk of the need for a revolution but have been part of the present set up for the past three years despite its corrupt practices, he said in an obvious reference to the MQM, which is involved in a new confrontation with the PML-N. In his address, he also took swipe at the establishment, questioned the democratic credentials of the PML-Q leaders and warned about the likely consequences of the precarious situation in Balochistan. He also gave the future agenda of his party, which gave an impression as if he was on an election campaign. 'If we did not hold the establishment accountable (for its misdoings) the country would be destroyed. The country cannot afford another Martial Law, he added. Nawaz said the prevailing lawlessness, unemployment, abject poverty, power and gas loadshedding and other problems were the result of the military rule. He said it was unbecoming of the dictators to talk of supremacy of the Constitution as they always took over power after trampling the basic law. He said military rule was responsible for the dismemberment of the country. 'If Pakistan is to be saved from such tragedies in future, the democratic system should be allowed to function uninterrupted. Maintaining that Pakistan had not been created for the establishment to enslave the people, he said he would set things right when he got an opportunity for the purpose. He believed that he would return to power with a two-thirds majority. He deplored that Pakistan has been victim of either military rules or Presidents hegemony, reducing the status of the Prime Ministers to that of an oppressed. 'I dont know how the Prime Ministers pull on in such situations. Substantiating the point, he said Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had been hanged, Benazir Bhutto sent into exile and Liaquat Ali Khan was assassinated. He said he himself had been sent into exile without any justification. Will we continue to run the country like this? Is it possible to run the country like that? Will the country make progress if the same practice continues? he asked. He said it was regrettable that no General had been put on trial even after the dismemberment of Pakistan. On the contrary, he said, Gen Yahya Khan, who had played the key role in the break-up of Pakistan had been buried in the national flag, and Gen Musharraf who had violated the Constitution was given guard of honour after he was forced to leave the Presidency. 'If we have to glorify dictators like this, the PML-N leader told the audience, 'I should quit politics and you should sit back home. But, he said, if such a situation was unacceptable, then people would have to come out of their homes and set the trend right. He reminded the military men the oath they took to safeguard the Constitution. However, he said, the oath was not honoured by the dictators. He ridiculed President Zardaris claim that he had restored judiciary. He said as a matter of fact it was the pressure mounted by 170 million people of Pakistan that had forced the President to take the decision. Nawaz said those who had been promising that Musharraf would be elected in uniform 10 times had nothing to do with the Muslim League. In fact, he said, such people were a stigma on the name of the PML. He felt upset over the situation in Balochistan, and said it was regrettable that the government had left the people of the most backward province at the mercy of circumstances. He proposed the formation of a committee of senior Parliamentarians to propose a solution of the Balochistan problem. The PML-N Quaid said Pakistan was a nuclear power and it was unbecoming for such a country to be begging monetary assistance from other countries. He said Pakistan could be made a prosperous State without foreign assistance provided right policies were followed. Javed Hashmi, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Tehmina Daultana, Syed Ghous Ali Shah, Salim Zia and AJK leader Farooq Haider were also present. Through resolutions, the participants condemned drone attacks on Pakistans territory, killings of settlers in Balochistan and maltreatment of Shahzain Bugti. Another resolution demanded that Dr Aafia Siddiqui should be brought back home. Khawaja Saad Rafiq said anybody who did not have eight to ten years of continuous association with the PML-N could not be elected for any office. The policy effectively denies any chance to those who have been cooperating with Musharraf but have rejoined the PML-N. Javed Hashmi was given standing ovation by the convention participants. Ahsan Iqbal elaborated the agenda the PML-N was pursuing at present for the betterment of the common man.

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