Pakistan

PML-N to kick-start mass movement

Party promises not to indulge in any move aimed at destabilising the democratic government.

Zia Khan November 06, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Blamed for being a ‘friendly’ opposition, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Friday decided to kick-start a mass contact drive for pushing the government to improve performance.

But an inner circle of the party promised to restrict its initiative only to keeping pressure on what it called an ‘inefficient and corrupt’ administration and not to indulge in any move aimed at destabilising the democratic government. In the first phase of the campaign, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif would embark upon a countrywide trip to sensitise people of all four provinces, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) against the ‘poor governance’.

“He will be holding meetings, addressing rallies and leading demonstrations across the country … but I must say we don’t want to topple the government,” a participant of the meeting told The Express Tribune.

Though top PML-N leaders declined to give a timeframe for launching this drive, some of them said it would start soon after the party completed its reorganisation in six weeks.

The move, observers argued, would add dynamics of ‘street panic’ to the country’s politics that has of late been vibrant but limited to closed doors of lavish palaces in metropolitans like Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

The decision of PML-N’s Central Organising Committee (COC), a body Sharif set up last year to spearhead intra-party elections, would set at rest, at least for the time being, rumours that the party might seek mid-term election.

The move came a day after a top PML-N leader frightened the government with what he called ‘options’ other than midterm elections and military takeover.

Thursday’s statement by Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan fuelled speculation that the PML-N might try to bring a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly against Gilani and would seek support from rival PML-Q for the purpose.

But the COC meeting decided not to attach itself with any other faction of the PML-Q, or the recently-formed Muttahida Muslim League (MML) — at least for the time being.

“There was a consensus among most of us that the time is not ripe for either inviting other factions for a merger or the alliance with us … we have left this decision for future,” a senior leader said after the meeting.

Later in an interaction with media on a dinner he hosted for them, Sharif also appeared to be shying away from suggestions that he had been hostile to democratic setups led by parties dominant in provinces other than his stronghold of Punjab.

Sharif also hinted at not collaborating with forces which had in the past been toppling democracies in Pakistan. His ‘clandestine’ reference was to the powerful military.

Meanwhile in Lahore, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani strongly ruled out the possibility of martial law in the country, saying that the army will have to bear democracy as the nation has tolerated dictators several times.

“The Pakistan Army is my own army and the democratic government will complete its tenure,” Gilani told journalists after addressing an international education conference on “School of Tomorrow: Freedom to Learn” organised by Beaconhouse School System (BSS) at a hotel.

Unfortunately all civilian governments were dismissed on the allegations of corruption, he said. “Charges of corruption against a democratic government are not a new thing,” he added and regretted that nobody ever criticised military governments.

Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif had been dethroned twice after being subjected to such allegations, while Muhammad Khan Junejo had also faced the same situation, he said.

When quizzed about a recent statement of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, in which he strongly criticised the government, Gilani said he respected the opinion of Sharif as his government was following politics of reconciliation.

Listing the achievements of his government, the premier said that he had announced the accession of the tribal area of Kala Dhaka to settled areas of the country after a period of 110 years, besides ensuring provision of internal autonomy to Gilgit-Baltistan, settling the 7th NFC Award in an amicable manner and passing the 18th amendment. (Additional input from Wires)

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2010.

COMMENTS (9)

Sultan Ahmed. | 13 years ago | Reply I am still failed to understand, they are saying, meetings all over the country would have been held , procession will take out everywhere in the country, rallies were addressed, but no aim to topple the present government. What would be purpose of this broaden action/campaign ?

Sultan Ahmed. | 13 years ago | Reply there are large number of political parties in the country, i want to join one of them, but find no proper because there is no party which has democratic traditions. one,has lost all its good leaders, second is running behind the power, third,seeking unification for share in power. What should i do, i am living in the country but feel as passing through a long dark tunnel and there is no light at the end of it.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Sultan Ahmed. | 13 years ago | Reply When we see the leaders,seems,Pakistan is a rich country, on the other hand when we see the poor people and their plight compelled to think,perhaps Pakistan at the brink, what is true i don't know.

Sultan Ahmed. | 13 years ago | Reply It is a baseless idea that people will come to street and compelled the present government to announcing mid term election. no never,it is ground less approach, people never come out,because people are not in position to come out and protest on roads. They in fact economically died,who is responsible for their death I would say without any snag,leader ,political leaders. who are in power and those are watching dreams of power.

Sultan Ahmed. | 13 years ago | Reply We should see the purpose of unification, only to gain power,nothing else, We should also,admit that every political party or group want power, nothing else. They are all running behind the power, no one know the existing problems of the common man. In fact, nation is waiting a brave leader, who will clean all the corners, and remove the rubble put it all in the deep well .

TheTruth | 13 years ago | Reply Nawaz Sharif seems to be fixated on squaring out with Musharraf more than anything else. His rhetoric on national issues vanish in thin air even before he has finished reciting them, in his regular press conferences. He certainly does not offer the alternative leadership which the country needs today. Banking on him would be foolish.. 'Aazmoodan ra aazmooda jehal ast'

Karim | 13 years ago | Reply The name PML(N) is a misnomer, as genuine political parties are not named after individuals. What can you expect from it. ---More of the same !!

Sultan Ahmed. | 13 years ago | Reply Who is free from corruption, please point to,or show me all are nude in................................................

mehsud | 13 years ago | Reply All the politicians were sipping tea in one and same cup they only now how to sensitize the situation at hand beside doing anything which may provide relief to the poor who were struggling for food, water and clothes. We have twice examined governments of both the PPP and PML-N and also Q, all of them were addicted to deposit everything in their pocket and deprive the poor of everything. all the politicians have foreign accounts. they are ruling the masses in Pakistan and have bank accounts in foreign countries to save their money in case of any uprising in Pakistan. if they were faithful and patriotic in true sense then all should bring their reservoirs to the homeland where they were ruling and enjoying power only hallow slogans of the politicians will not convince the educated people and those being fed up with the corrupt rulers.

Replying to X