President Asif Ali Zardari visiting the rain-hit area of Shaheed Benazirabad.-APP

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari urged PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday to stop politicking and criticising the government and instead support its efforts to cope with the problems confronting the nation.

Speaking during a visit to flood-hit areas of Nawabshah, the president advised the PML-N chief to “put aside political differences and take measures to help the flood-stricken people because this is not the time to indulge in political gimmicks”.

According to a private TV channel, he told Mr Sharif that instead of holding public rallies in Lahore he should take measures against dengue fever and come to Sindh to help rain-affected people.

“Don’t hesitate to visit flood-hit areas of Sindh only because Zardari is already there and come to help people in distress. My house in Nawabshah is open to the PML-N leader,” the president was quoted as saying.

He lashed out at the PML-N chief after the latter in a series of statements and public addresses accused him and the government of not addressing the problems confronting the nation.

Mr Zardari said he feared that undue criticism of the government and military would harm democracy.

“During the tenure of former president Farooq Leghari, the majority could not save democracy. It takes years to build democracy, but only seconds to ravage it,” he said.

The Pakistan People’s Party, he said, rendered enormous sacrifices for restoration of democracy, restored the Constitution to its true shape and gave autonomy to the provinces.

“All parties have to play their roles for stability of the democratic system.”

The president observed that floods had caused massive destruction in Sindh. Punjab was in the grip of deadly dengue virus.

“In view of such a bleak scenario people do not need political speeches, but practical measures to overcome their difficulties.”

Advising Mr Sharif to act wisely, the president said: “I hope the time for him to visit my jail cell or for me to visit him in prison does not come again.”

The president invited the PML-N chief to work with the government and said the PPP always followed and would continue to follow the policy of reconciliation.

“We should set aside differences and work together for the people of this country,” he urged all political parties.

Responding to the president’s remarks, PML-N Deputy Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal said in a statement his party did not need any reminder from Mr Zardari to help flood victims.

“The PML-N and its leadership always help people in the time of need as a part of our political agenda,” he said.

He said last year President Zardari had left people of flood-hit areas in a miserable condition and proceeded to France and the United Kingdom, while Mr Sharif cancelled his programme to perform Umra and stood by the flood victims.

Mr Iqbal said it was not politics when Mr Sharif criticised the government for its corruption and incompetence as 90 per cent of the population believed that the country was heading in a wrong direction.

Referring to the outburst of PPP leader Zulfikar Mirza, Mr Iqbal said: “Mr Zardari is inviting us for working together while his own party leaders are pointing fingers at him.”

He said the government had ignored an advice given by Mr Sharif last year to set up a national flood commission to mitigate losses and havoc caused by floods every year.

“We could have protected our people from flood devastation if the proposed commission was constituted.”

Meanwhile, the president contacted PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on phone and told him that all reservations of the PML-Q would be redressed.

He assured him that there would be no unnecessary meddling in the affairs of ministries in Sindh held by Q-League members.