BAHAWALPUR, Jan 12: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has criticised the Indian and Pakistani governments for their “irresponsible statements” after the Mumbai carnage.

At a reception hosted by Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) Mumtaz Ahmad Jajja at Circuit House here on Monday, Mr Sharif said during his government back in 1998, the then Indian prime minister Atal Behari Vajpaee had travelled to Pakistan in a bus and signed the historic Lahore declaration. Later, Gen Pervez Musharraf waged the Kargil conflict which caused irreparable loss to the Pakistan-India relations, he said.

He said he was “punished” by Gen Musharraf for his decision to go for six nuclear explosions after five such explosions from India. He said Musharraf would show his fist to him, but saluted Vajpayee at a Saarc conference. He said he was more loyal to the country than any one, and people knew the fact.

He said he did not believe in tall claims and slogans, but always wanted immediate action. He said there were certain elements which could put the country’s existence at stake.

Mr Sharif recounted achievements of his previous tenures, saying he had served the country and nation in the defence, economic and social sectors. He also referred to the elimination of man-driven cycle-rickshaws from Bahawalpur and said he had advanced loans to rickshaw owners and drivers to run some other business to earn their livelihood.

He said his brother, Shahbaz Sharif, also the Punjab chief minister, worked round the clock to turn Punjab into a model province of Pakistan. He praised the workers for standing by him in the days of turmoil and that their sacrifices would not go waste. He said those who had left the party for personal interests would never get preference over loyal workers. He said the reorganisation of the party would begin soon and committed workers would be entrusted important duties.

Mr Jajja, on behalf of Mr Sharif, announced that vacancies from scale one to five would be filled up on the recommendations of the workers. The announcement came after workers demanded that the Punjab government do away with the merit policy in recruitments from scale one to five. Former governor Mustafa Khar also accompanied Mr Sharif, who is likely to stay in Cholistan during his visit.