For ‘judiciary’s sake’: Nawaz invites people to join his ‘long march’

Announces Rs2,000 increase in minimum wage of workers in Punjab.


Abdul Manan May 02, 2012

LAHORE:


In a rare appearance together, the Sharif brothers on Tuesday attended an event organised to commemorate Labour Day. However, they used the occasion to launch another frontal attack on the PPP-led coalition government.


For Punjab, Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif announced that minimum wage would be pegged at Rs9,000 – Rs2,000 more than the present minimum wage and Rs1,000 more than the increase announced by the federal government.

“Double digit inflation and the deepening energy crisis have made it difficult for workers to live comfortably even with a monthly salary of Rs20,000,” the elder Sharif said, criticising the government for its inefficiency.

He called upon the people to join his party in protests against the government which “is defying the rulings of the Supreme Court”.

Pakistani people had struggled for the restoration of dozens of judges sacked by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf and they would not allow the incumbent government to ridicule the judiciary, he added. “Pakistan is not made only for Gilani and Zardari. It’s a country of 180 million.”

He asked the people to stand by the judiciary the way they did in 2009 during the long march for the reinstatement of the judiciary.

Reiterating his conviction for the cause, Nawaz said whosoever supports him would definitely succeed. He urged those reluctant to join his protests to embrace his movement.

Nawaz said that in 2009, President Asif Ali Zardari tried to restore PCO judges, but did not succeed.

“Instead of working to empower the judiciary, the president became the epicentre of corruption cases pertaining to rental power plants and National Insurance Company Limited, etc,” he said.

“Each day people with tainted reputations are appointed against key administrative slots. I have never witnessed corruption on such a level, where sons, wives, friends and cousins of functionaries are openly involved.”

The PML-N chief defended his aggressive stance saying he was “fighting for the survival of Pakistan.” He said the current leaders had turned the nation into a laughing stock and this prompted him “to stand up for the sake of the nation”.

He vowed to address all crunch questions if he emerged victorious in the upcoming elections.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2012.

COMMENTS (2)

Nasir | 11 years ago | Reply One can very well understand the despair and frustration of Mian brothers. Despite of all their flashes of wealth towards judiciary and media, they remain fruitless. They triggered and carried the Memo scandal, but fell face down. They have been hatching conspiracies like crazy for the last 4 years but have seen little success. Now their last hope of getting disqualification from the courts for the elected Prime Minister has seen colossal failure. Even the opposition parties like JUI-F are not with them and are not taking part in the protests and the wild hullabaloo in the parliament. Imran Khan and JI are also at the distance as they have seen the real tsunami of people. Its time that the Sharif brothers get sigh and learn the lesson and get a teaching from President Zardari and Premier Gilani about the belief in stability and continuity of democratic system in Pakistan, security of the country and defence of its sovereignty, and the Sharifs of Lahore must and should put Pakistan first and make it their top most priority. The world is impressed with the leadership of PPP upon carrying out of country’s affairs in accordance with the Constitution with an aim to raise the dignity of the country, and this is the only way to further strengthen the country’s security and stability in these tough times. PPP would emerge successful with prays of the nation.
syed Imran | 11 years ago | Reply

Every one who wants rule of law to prevail in Pakistan should support Nawaz Sharif call. Being a PTI member I fully support Nawaz in this respect but will vote for PTI.

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