KARACHI, July 4: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president and Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has ruled out the possibility of withdrawing his party’s support to the Pakistan People’s Party-led coalition government in the centre over different approaches with regard to the restoration of the judiciary.
He said it was for the first time in the history of Pakistan that those who had been opponents in the past had joined hands to solve problems being faced by the country and promote democracy and put the last nail in the coffin of dictatorship.
Mr Sharif, who arrived here on Friday afternoon for a one-day visit to attend the Chehlum of his party’s slain Karachi-based leader Tariq Khan, was responding to questions of journalists after the Fateha at the murdered leader’s residence.
“In the Bhurban meeting, it was decided that the judges would be restored and we were clear and committed to this. Would you like us to fall out on this issue and derail the democratic government?” he asked. “We are making efforts to reach a consensus so that democracy can flourish in the country and we can put the last nail in the coffin of dictatorship.”
He said no society could survive without an independent judiciary. Quoting Hazrat Ali, he said that an infidel system could work, but a system based on injustice could not last.
He said efforts were being made to restore the judiciary to its pre-Nov 3 position not for the sake of a person or party, but in the interest of the nation. “If the judiciary would have been independent, there would not have been repression in Balochistan and the NWFP and people would not be suffering from injustices.”
Regarding differences over the operation in Fata and the withdrawal of subsidies, the PML-N leader said differences cropped up even among brothers, which could be resolved by coming together and discussing issues.
The chief minister recalled that in his Friday meeting with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, the prime minister had fully agreed with him that if there were differences among the coalition partners, they should sit together and sort out the issues.
“No conspiracy would be allowed to succeed at the federal or provincial level,” Mr Sharif said.
Regarding the controversy over the role of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, the chief minister said the governor was a symbol of the federation and he had a constitutional role, while as the chief minister, he had a democratic role.
When his attention was drawn towards the reported white paper issued by the PML-Q regarding the first 100 days of the government, Mr Sharif asked what right they had to issue a white paper about a government which had only been in power for three months while “during their eight year rule, they had destroyed the country.”
The Punjab chief minister said the government was under compulsion to pass on the burden of the rising price of petroleum to the people, which had gone to $146 per barrel.
‘We are political people’
“We are political people and do not have a gun in our hands to bring down prices. Rest assured, we will not rest until the prices are brought under control,” he said.
He said in Punjab, he had prepared a package of Rs22 billion to provide relief to those people living below the poverty line.
He expressed his belief that the Sindh government would also prepare a similar package for the poor in the province.
The chief minister said whether it was the water issue or the NFC award matter, these issues were always resolved by democratic governments.
He said the NFC award should be based on the principle of equity, fairness and fair play, in which all four provinces should have due share keeping in view their resources, population, backwardness and problems.
In reply to a question regarding the Kalabagh Dam, the PML-N leader said that solidarity of the country was over and above every dam and no project should be initiated which could be harmful for the unity of the country.
He said it was Pervez Musharraf who had politicised the Kalabagh Dam and had taken up the project without consensus among the four provinces.
Tariq Khan case
In reply to a question, he said he had discussed the issue of the progress of Tariq Khan’s murder case with the late politician’s father. He said he would also take up the issue with Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at a dinner planned for Friday evening, adding that he hoped the Sindh government would leave no stone unturned in arresting the killers of Tariq Khan.
Earlier, on arrival Shahbaz Sharif was received at the airport by Senior Minister Pir Mazharul Haq and from the airport he went straight to the Chief Minister’s House, where he was received by Qaim Ali Shah. He was also presented traditional gifts of Ajrak and Sindhi cap.
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