Sacking of judges: Nothing personal against Musharraf, says Nawaz
PML-N chief says that while he has forgiven the former president, he must still be tried for his actions.
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif addressing a public gathering in Kasur. PHOTO: APP
MULTAN/LAHORE:
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that though he has forgiven former president Pervez Musharraf for toppling his government in 1999, the retired general must still face the consequences for his misdeeds.
“I hold no enmity or desire for revenge against Musharraf … but he cannot be forgiven for sacking and arresting judges,” he told a public gathering at Khaddian Khas in Kasur district on Saturday.
In his speech, Nawaz expressed his belief that governments should change through the ballot and not through a military coup.
“Unfortunately, on October 12, 1999, Musharraf toppled an elected government, put a sitting prime minister behind bars, slapped terrorism charges against him and forced him into exile,” he recalled, adding that the former president, in an ironic turn of events, had been charged with terrorism and taken into custody.
Nawaz maintained that he was disheartened instead of being happy at Musharraf’s situation. However, he urged the nation to observe the former general’s fate for damaging the judiciary.
The PML-N chief, meanwhile, lashed out at President Asif Ali Zardari in his speech, holding him responsible for the country’s power woes. He accused the President of doing nothing in his five-year tenure to resolve load-shedding in the country and said the issue could be overcome if serious effort was put into it.
Nawaz also attempted to discredit the PML-Quaid leadership as well. He said that although PML-Q had awarded tickets to rural politicians from the area, ‘Zardari’s companions’ had created an artificial shortage of fertiliser and increased the price of pesticides.
The PML-N chief promised those at the gathering that if his party was voted into power, it would both overcome load-shedding and introduce subsidy packages for farmers as well.
Nawaz claims BISP idea
Talking to party workers earlier on Saturday, Nawaz claimed the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) was PML-N’s idea.
“PPP has duped people by changing the name of PML-N’s National Income Support Programme to Benazir Income Support Programme and then embezzling the billions allocated to this scheme,” he claimed, adding that the PML-N would hold the corrupt accountable, reclaim the public money and put the country on the right track again.
“PPP is trying to gain the sympathy of voters who have enjoyed the benefits of BISP. Using the income support scheme as a rallying cry, PPP might damage the PML-N vote bank in the rural areas of the country,” said Nawaz.
‘Pakistan’s 2nd Independence Day’
Former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said that May 11 will be celebrated as Pakistan’s second independence day after the country gets rid off its ‘corrupt, traitorous’ leaders.
“It will be an independence from corruption, from thieves and traitors,” said Shahbaz at a rally in Rajanpur. He vowed that PML-N would bring return all money stolen from the public exchequer by corrupt leaders, bureaucrats and dictators.
“We believe in practical steps, not on political slogans… the conditions in Punjab speak for our policies and governance,” he maintained. He promised that if voted to power, PML-N will develop every district the same way it developed Lahore. (WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY IN )
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2013.
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that though he has forgiven former president Pervez Musharraf for toppling his government in 1999, the retired general must still face the consequences for his misdeeds.
“I hold no enmity or desire for revenge against Musharraf … but he cannot be forgiven for sacking and arresting judges,” he told a public gathering at Khaddian Khas in Kasur district on Saturday.
In his speech, Nawaz expressed his belief that governments should change through the ballot and not through a military coup.
“Unfortunately, on October 12, 1999, Musharraf toppled an elected government, put a sitting prime minister behind bars, slapped terrorism charges against him and forced him into exile,” he recalled, adding that the former president, in an ironic turn of events, had been charged with terrorism and taken into custody.
Nawaz maintained that he was disheartened instead of being happy at Musharraf’s situation. However, he urged the nation to observe the former general’s fate for damaging the judiciary.
The PML-N chief, meanwhile, lashed out at President Asif Ali Zardari in his speech, holding him responsible for the country’s power woes. He accused the President of doing nothing in his five-year tenure to resolve load-shedding in the country and said the issue could be overcome if serious effort was put into it.
Nawaz also attempted to discredit the PML-Quaid leadership as well. He said that although PML-Q had awarded tickets to rural politicians from the area, ‘Zardari’s companions’ had created an artificial shortage of fertiliser and increased the price of pesticides.
The PML-N chief promised those at the gathering that if his party was voted into power, it would both overcome load-shedding and introduce subsidy packages for farmers as well.
Nawaz claims BISP idea
Talking to party workers earlier on Saturday, Nawaz claimed the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) was PML-N’s idea.
“PPP has duped people by changing the name of PML-N’s National Income Support Programme to Benazir Income Support Programme and then embezzling the billions allocated to this scheme,” he claimed, adding that the PML-N would hold the corrupt accountable, reclaim the public money and put the country on the right track again.
“PPP is trying to gain the sympathy of voters who have enjoyed the benefits of BISP. Using the income support scheme as a rallying cry, PPP might damage the PML-N vote bank in the rural areas of the country,” said Nawaz.
‘Pakistan’s 2nd Independence Day’
Former Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said that May 11 will be celebrated as Pakistan’s second independence day after the country gets rid off its ‘corrupt, traitorous’ leaders.
“It will be an independence from corruption, from thieves and traitors,” said Shahbaz at a rally in Rajanpur. He vowed that PML-N would bring return all money stolen from the public exchequer by corrupt leaders, bureaucrats and dictators.
“We believe in practical steps, not on political slogans… the conditions in Punjab speak for our policies and governance,” he maintained. He promised that if voted to power, PML-N will develop every district the same way it developed Lahore. (WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY IN )
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2013.