Opposition campaign: PML-N vows stronger show of strength

Chaudhry Nisar says they will build pressure on govt for early elections.

ISLAMABAD:

After a boisterous protest during the presidential address to the joint session of parliament, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has said it would soon launch a campaign for early elections, in collaboration with all opposition parties. 

“We will stimulate the opposition to build up pressure on the government for holding early elections,” Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Saturday, immediately after staging a walkout from the session.

Representatives of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), the Pakistan Peoples Party-Sherpao, PML-Quaid (Likeminded), Mir Hasil Bizenjo of National Party and Humayun Khan Mandokhel from Balochistan also joined PML-N’s protest during the address.

“We thought it would be a big joke if Zardari talks and we keep listening to him silently,” Nisar said while explaining the oppositions’ strategy.

“I wonder which Pakistan [President] Zardari was talking about. The Pakistan that we live in is in a state of misery,” Nisar said, adding: “What action has the government taken to address the deprivation of Balochistan, control inflation and overcome the power crisis.”

‘Everyone knows who started extortion’

Commenting on the MQM’s protests against extortion in Karachi, Nisar said everyone knows who started it. He alleged that the MQM had actually joined the people of Karachi in their protests against extortion out of political compulsion.

“There is one party who shouts and creates a ruckus and then all of a sudden, a call comes and everything is past and forgotten … we all know which political party does this every time,” Nisar said, referring the MQM’s call for a boycott on the eve of the joint session and then retracting from the decision.

Asked for comments over the retirement of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha, Nisar said that he had nothing personal against him; however, he added, that his retirement “has orphaned an inqilabi (revolutionary) party”.

PML-N to hold public rallies

When asked about the PML-N’s future course of action, Deputy Information Secretary Khurram Dastgir Khan told The Express Tribune, “We will hold massive public gatherings immediately after [PML-N chief] Nawaz Sharif returns home.” The series of public rallies would start from Southern Punjab, he added.

Khurram said his party was already negotiating with others in the opposition for possible electoral alliance and said they would invite the JUI-F, PPP-S, PML-Q likeminded and others to participate in their public processions.

Responding to a question, he said the government has made a plan to dole out the national exchequer and bribe the nation through the upcoming budget in disregard to the balance of payment and budgetary deficit.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2012.