Address to nation: PM to talk about security policy

Differences on Afghanistan and the Taliban holding up the policymaking exercise.

LAHORE:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is likely to address the nation on Monday on issues  such as national security policy, counter terrorism, energy, economy, and regional situation, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Press Secretary to PM confirmed that the premier has a tentative schedule to address the nation on Monday. “Nawaz Sharif’s speech will not only be motivational but also be in the broader perspective,” he said.

According to sources, Nawaz after consulting the senior leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in a meeting decided to address the nation on the said issues before his visit to the United Nations and Turkey in the coming weeks.

National Security Policy

PML-N leadership during the meeting with the premier agreed on a strong and effective policy to fight terrorists, sources said.

They said the PM informed the meeting that the differences between the US military administration and Pakistan Army on Afghanistan and Taliban are hindering the finalisation of the national security policy.

They said Sharif has also informed party senior leaders that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s Chairman Imran Khan has expressed his full support to government on many issues.

He also informed the participants that JUI-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman has informed him that if he meets with Imran Khan, COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, then his presence should be sure in that meeting, otherwise he will quit as its allies partner.

However Rehman agreed that he will sit with Khan when leadership of political parties will meet in the coming weeks to discuss national security.

Fighting terrorism

The PM informed the meeting about the counterterrorism steps the centre has decided to take in consultation with the provincial governments, sources said.

The meeting observed that there should be no discrimination like the policy of ‘good Taliban and bad Taliban’, sources said.

Deal with militants, terrorists and separatists in a harsh or soft manner, but do it without discrimination, sources quoted PML-N leaders present in the meeting as telling the PM.

Moratorium

PML-N leaders blamed President Asif Zardari for putting the government in a fix, either to support the condemned killers or the deceased waiting for justice to be served, they said.

They said PM Nawaz will explain implications of PPP’s decision of moratorium in his speech.

They said it was an uphill task for the party and they blamed President of Asif Ali Zardari for putting it in a fix either to support killers or to deceased as fresh wave of terrorism is likely to happen after it. They said Sharif will describe implications of PPP’s decision of moratorium in his speech.

Regional, economic issues

Sources said that Nawaz in his address to the nation will also talk about relations with India and Afghanistan, and issues of regional and global trade and water.

He will inform the nation about government’s steps to overcome energy crisis, sources said. On economy, Nawaz was likely to say, “The national kitty is empty,” sources said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 19^th, 2013.