Rule of law: Nawaz calls Musharraf’s escape ‘contempt of court’

PML-N chief calls for transparent probe into attack on Sanaullah Zehri.

QUETTA:

PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has called former president Pervez Musharraf’s escape from the courtroom ‘contempt of court’ and reiterated the need for principle of non-discrimination in law for the layman and the powerful.

Without naming anyone, he said that they still have to prove whether to bow down before the law or bring the law in subservience of the powerful. He held the Islamabad police chief answerable for Musharraf’s escape from the court.

The PML-N chief was in Balochistan to offer condolences to his party’s provincial president Nawab Sanaullah Zehri on the death of his brother, son and a cousin in a roadside bomb attack earlier this week.

“Incidents, such as the one that occurred with a tribal chief of the province, can create further hurdles in the restoration of peace in Balochistan,” he said. “A transparent and fair investigation should be ensured.”

Nawaz called upon the masses to come forward on May 11 and vote for ‘genuine leaders’ of the province who could take help find a solution to Balochistan’s festering problem.

“People were protesting against increasing ‘kill-and-dump’ cases, but the so-called former elected government did not take any steps to restore order in the province,” he added. “Such non-serious attitude has plunged Balochistan into turmoil.”

Balochistan has been plagued by a deadly tribal insurgency since 2004 which became deadlier after the killing of Baloch chieftain Nawab Akbar Bugti in a military operation in 2006. Sectarian extremists and Taliban militants have also benefited from the fluid security situation to create safe havens in the province.

The PML-N chief reminded the federation of its responsibility to restore order in the province. “The writ of the government is non-existent in Balochistan and until it was established, the security situation will not improve,” he added.

Describing democracy as the only solution to the Balochistan conundrum, he said free and fair elections would end the multiplication of problems in the province. He said it has been a tradition in democratic countries that irrespective of the law and order situation, the electoral process was never obstructed.

Responding to a question, Nawaz said the PML-N has already brought change in the country. During the PML-N’s rule the country was on the road to development, however undemocratic forces halted the process, he said referring to the 1999 ouster of his government by Musharraf in a coupe.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2013.