A day after facing criticism by political rivals, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) clarified in the National Assembly on Wednesday that its chief Nawaz Sharif’s statement regarding the establishment of military courts in Karachi was ‘misconstrued’.
“PML-N will not support any military court either in Karachi or Swat. We do not support even military operations,” said Leader of the Opposition in the NA Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
During his visit to Karachi on Monday, Nawaz said that he had established military courts to improve the volatile law and order situation in the country’s financial capital and would do it again.
“How can we talk about military courts while being in the opposition,” Nisar said, while recalling that in the past the PML-N government had abandoned the idea of military courts after a decision by the Supreme Court.
Nisar said that Sharif was just referring to a decision of the past when extreme circumstances led his party to take the extreme step of establishing military courts in Karachi.
He censured Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, who had described the PML-N chief’s comments as double standards, and said that instead of criticising Nawaz, the premier should have clarified his statement regarding Osama bin Laden’s presence in Pakistan.
‘No support for new provinces on lingual basis’
The opposition leader also criticised a resolution submitted by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for the creation of Hazara province.
“A party which has no representation in the province has no right to propose a division,” he said. “The PML-N supports creation of new provinces if it is not on lingual basis,” Nisar added.
Nisar said that new provinces cannot be created overnight but the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had nothing else to ‘lure’ voters with in the next general elections. Later in the day, Ahsan Iqbal of the PML-N made an attempt to persuade the MQM and the Awami National Party (ANP) to stop supporting the PPP government.
“Let’s join hands to dislodge this government and I assure you the support of all 92 members of my party,” Ahsan added.
Meanwhile, Religious Affairs Minister Syed Khursheed Shah blamed the PML-N for the energy crisis in the country, saying the party had terminated projects of the PPP government in early 90s. “Why did the Supreme Court not take suo moto notice of this issue as it does not hesitate to take action over lies?” he questioned. “I am not scared of a contempt of court notice since we have sacrificed our judiciary’s independence,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 5th, 2012.
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It seems as though Nawaz Sharif’s anti-military and pro-democracy stance is only skin-deep and the fact that he audaciously spoke his mind about bringing in military courts has only exposed his authoritarian state of mind. Having come a long way in politics and at this critical juncture with elections approaching, Nawaz Sharif must exercise better judgement in choosing his words. He must learn from his mistakes and not try to revive the tried and failed policies of the past. Rather he must change his approach and bring it in line with modern day needs, which include strengthening the existing justice system and law-enforcement agencies.