PML-N toughens line against ‘long march’

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday condemned the plan of assault on Islamabad by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and decided that the miscreants would be dealt with an iron hand.

The party described the long march plan as an atrocious conspiracy.

These views were expressed in the PML-N leadership meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in which the political situation of the country was reviewed.

The leaders agreed that the elements who were plotting an invasion of the capital, were the same people who fired bullets at the police personnel, broke heads, threatened judges and police officers, attacked institutions and were conspiring against Pakistan after getting caught in the audio leaks of September 28 and 30.

These elements also conspired against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, friends of Pakistan and security of Pakistan in the name of cipher and now these conspirators were plotting against the economy of Pakistan and the flood victims in the name of long march.

These characters hatched a nefarious conspiracy against national security, national interests, and Pakistan's foreign relations and the interests of the state were sacrificed for personal political interests, they alleged.

While endorsing the decisions of the cabinet in the meeting on September 30, the attendees emphasized that the process of investigation of ‘Imrani conspiracy’, hatched by using the diplomatic cipher, should be hastened and the elements involved in it should be made an example according to the law.

This conspiracy will be crushed with the full force of law, party leadership stated, giving the party president and the prime minister of Pakistan the authority to take all decisions.

The meeting appreciated the efforts and fervour of the government institutions, especially the Pakistan army, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, for assistance and rehabilitation of the flood affectees.

The leadership expressed the resolve that efforts would continue with focus and ardour till the complete rehabilitation of the flood affectees.

Dollar Value

The party meeting lauded efforts of the prime minister and his team for improving the value of the rupee against the dollar and stock exchange and for saving the country from default.

The leadership expressed confidence about the possibilities to restore Pakistan's economy, reduce debt burden and give relief to the common man, after the arrival of Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. The meeting welcomed the reduction in prices of petroleum products for providing relief to the people and stated that despite the difficult economic conditions, efforts would be enhanced to give all possible relief to the people.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

The party leadership strongly condemned the torture and arrests of teachers in Peshawar by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police and called it a proof of fascism of Imran Khan.

They noted that Imran Khan neither has time for the flood affectees nor was he providing any relief to the teachers and people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In the assembly chowk, Peshawar the way unarmed teachers were shelled, baton-charged and attacked with water cannons was cruel and very condemnable, they added.

They claimed that the province's treasury did not have money to pay salaries and pensions of government employees despite Imran Khan’s government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for the last eight years.

The meeting raised questions about the financial default of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. The leaders said the peaceful teachers did not have the right to protest in Peshawar but Imran Khan along with the miscreants and gangsters was preparing to attack Islamabad.

Expressing solidarity with the teachers, PML-N leaders said that the demands of the teachers should be met and all the arrested teachers and demonstrators should be released immediately.

The meeting decided to hold workers' convention of the party across the country. The conventions will be addressed by the central leadership.

Responsibilities were delegated to the party's central and provincial leadership in this regard.

Acquittal

The party expressed gratitude at the acquittal of Vice President of the party Maryam Nawaz and Captain (R) Muhammad Safdar in the Avenfield reference and congratulated them.

The leaders stated that acquittal was the victory of truth and a forceful slap of divine law on the face of political revenge. The leadership also welcomed the acquittal of party's Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal in the Narowal Sports Complex case and felicitated him. They applauded the acquitted leaders for challenging the political revenge with bravery, courage and steadfastness.

PM’s performance

The meeting also praised the prime minister for effectively representing Pakistan at the heads of state summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly on issues faced by the Muslim Ummah including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir and deadly effects of climate change and on important regional and international matters.

They noted that due to efforts of the prime minister, plight of the flood affectees and matter of the grave effects of climate change remained in the spotlight at the United Nations General Assembly and SCO.

The member countries of SCO endorsed and supported the raising of issue of climate change by the prime minister at the summit level.

The participants thanked the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres for his visit to Pakistan and for launching the international appeal for helping flood affectees and for advocating their cause.