Power politics: Gilani hits out at opposition for street agitation
In an apparent rebuke to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for its street agitation, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Saturday came down hard on “political leaders who are trying to gain political mileage by blowing everything out of proportion and confusing the masses.”
“They will not succeed because the [Pakistani] people know their politicking against democracy,” the premier said in a wide-ranging address to the Pakistani Diaspora in the Australian city of Perth.
Though the prime minister did not name any political leader, the obvious target of his scathing criticism was the PML-N which on Friday kicked off a mass movement to rid the country of the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) “corrupt” government.
“If anyone has problems, they should either move the courts or take the political trajectory and contest the next election on the basis of issues,” the premier said. “This is not the way to come out on the streets and chant slogans against the country’s leadership.”
At Friday’s public rally in Lahore, PML-N leader and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif declared war on President Asif Zardari, threatening him to resign or else the PML-N supporters would “hang him upside down at Bhatti Chowk”.
For his use of ‘insulting language’ against Zardari and denunciation of the head of the state, Sharif invited the wrath of political leaders of all hues. But the PML-N is unmoved by this criticism and plans more street protests against the government.
Prime Minister Gilani, however, advised the PML-N to stop using unconstitutional means in its quest for power because it was in nobody’s interest.
He rejected the allegations of inefficiency against his government and recounted his achievements in all fields. But in the same breath he added that no single political party or individual could steer the country out of the mess. “The nation needs to stand united, and together we can face the challenges,” he added.
Premier Gilani recalled that the PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had decided to boycott the 2008 elections but President Zardari made him change his mind and lead his party in the elections.
About US drone strikes in the tribal regions which, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has made a rallying point, Prime Minister Gilani categorically said that they have not given any permission to the US to launch missile attacks inside Pakistan.
The premier said such attacks were counterproductive because of the collateral damage they caused and undermined the government’s efforts to get the unanimous support of the masses against extremists and terrorists.
He admitted that drone attacks were one of the reasons behind strained relations between Pakistan and the United States. About the fight against militancy, the premier told the Pakistani Diaspora that the nation stood united to eliminate extremism and terrorism from the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 30th, 2011.
COMMENTS (11)
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just an observation that all of us should note. There was no Bullet Proof glass in front of Imran Khan This fact alone tells u everything u need to know. larkidesi
Pity the nation that has to chose between the inept, shameless corrupt and the inept, slightly less shamelss corrput. The PTI is an unknown commodity as yet.
Sharifs are the only one to be blamed by using filthy language and also claiming to be more democrats than others. It is better to get all translated into English and distribute it among the foreign ambassadors in our country. Let them know the ability and mindset of those who now rule above 60% of Pakistan. More strange is the role of our superior judiciary who are protecting them and their cases in NAB.
Yes, present government has failed miserably on account of good governance. Yet nobody else has succeeded on this account as well. History of last 63 years just depicts that. Hence, there are no heroes left in the pavilion. We have a chequered histoy. How a country with brutal dictatorships who mutilated and corrupted the germs of good governance could expect good governance. Nevertheless, Mr. siddiqui’s despondency is also unfounded. Future is bright. Future of a country does not depend only on local cultural level and maturity of institutions, it also is influenced by regional and global factors. Think of industrial revolution. Whole world is knocking at your door but if you did not listen to them and remain deaf and blind, they will broke open your door or whole wall of your compound. World mainly the one around you particularly China, India and Turkey will do the job. Your never requested the world for mobile phones, computers, renewable energy, smart phones and other such technologies but World forced these on you. Yes, present looks very bad but if we will not shut our eyes to the glare of the new world being led by developing countries particularly Asia, we will be easily able to see political and economic kaleidoscope.
The unproductive politics is going on in the country for the last six decades and political parties leave no stone unturned to make the people fool.
Due to the non-concrete politics of allegations on each other, economic turn down, extremism and terrorism, any one who has the financial capability is migrating from the country.
I don’t expect that there will be any future prospects for the youth. When I asked a question to one of the intelligent youth who secured a position in higher secondary school examination as what he would like to be? His reply was as follows:
“Instead of being a first class citizen of a third class country, I would prefer to be a third class citizen of a first class country”.
The youth of today are demoralized and do not see any light at the end of the tunnel. This is gift politicians of Pakistan has given to the youth, from whom we expect that they will shoulder the burden of their elders.
PPP burnt 50% of Pakistan on BB death. It was either government property or innocent people property. That was not street agitation? A political rally or protest is a constitutional right of the people and the political party.
There is a way to put all critics and speculations to rest. A call to the Electorate. Let the people give their verdict. If you have really done a Great Job, as you think you have... then there is no need to worry... Pakistan has seen worse before.. please don't make excuses of Law and order.. excuses are for Losers!
PM Gilani has got polished a lot to perform as prime minister of the country. His carries logic and his viewpoint spreads around impressively. I believe this is a wonderful combination of the treasury and opposition in Pakistan.
Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.Actually present the ever most corrupt democratic government and present leaders have been failed very badly and now just present corrupt leaders are showing shallow love to show that people of Pakistan are with them and the most shameful statement given by Zardari in yesterday's Daily Urdu Newspaper Express that PML-N is raising unimportant issue whereas PML-N raised corruption,expensiveness and electricity load shedding and in Zardari's standpoint corruption,expensiveness and electricity load shedding are the unimportant issues.Can a sensible Pakistani think about these core and most burning issues as the unimportant issues as Zardari is thinking?PPPP's government now has to to dissolved because corruption,expensiveness and electricity load shedding have been reached on its peak and according to International Transparency Report that Pakistanis' $100 billion are in Swiss bank account and every Pakistani knows very well that who is the owner of Swiss bank account holder and poor/common man is dieing of poverty,hunger,expensiveness,internal and external security collapses and joblessness.Mr. PM take the notice of serious issues seriously which have been raised in PML-N's rally and now shall be raised in PTI's rally and solve them as soon as possible on priority basis instead of giving the just hopes to the nation verbally or if not then dissolve all assemblies and conduct again general elections and see how much more popular and favorite you have been now in nation's heart and how much more nation likes,loves and supports you?
Do we have a democracy in Pakistan ? Do Pakiwtani deserve democracy ? shame to PPP MLN and MQM.
Finally, ET came out of the black out!