ISLAMABAD: In his telephonic conversations with President Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on the occasion of Eidul Azha, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif did not commit to his party’s unconditional cooperation with the PPP’s top brass, Leader of Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Monday.
“The president and prime minister made phone calls to condole the death of Nawaz’s uncle. After passing their condolences, Gilani told Nawaz that the brief reply of his letter to Zardari was being dispatched,” Nisar said while talking to reporters at his chamber in Parliament House.
In the brief reply, Zardari had written that he was mindful of the issues raised by Nawaz and the government was already deliberating upon the problems confronting the nation.
“The PPP leaders spread the impression that Nawaz had assured them of his full cooperation. No such commitment was made by the PML-N to any PPP leader,” he added.
Nisar said matters could not improve by making mere phone calls or false promises. “Now, the only thing needed, is the action in the right direction by the government. We need not sit with the government on any issue on the table as our stance is clear from Nawaz’s letter,” he said, adding that the points raised in Nawaz’s letter be addressed.
“The government has reached such a position of incompetence, bad governance and lack of transparency that even its coalition partners are distancing themselves from the PPP,” he said, adding that the opposition would continue performing its duty until the government took concrete steps to mend its ways.
Nisar said if the coalition partners stood with the opposition wholeheartedly on all national issues, the government could easily be forced to mend its ways. “We have already experienced this during the NRO case and now in the RGST bill.
But the coalition partners should not use it as a ploy to gain personal or party advantages by the PPP,” he said, adding that if the allies of the government withdrew from their stance on national issues in exchange for lucrative government posts, it would be tantamount to committing a crime with the nation.
Nisar said the PML-N would resist the government’s move to stop Transparency International from operating in Pakistan. “Our party will bring an adjournment motion on it,” he said.
The opposition leader said that his party would oppose any move geared towards the expansion of US military and intelligence network in Pakistan. “The United States is seeking to expand its military and intelligence network in the country. We will resist it as we have always opposed such under-the-table deals in the past,” he said.
“The presence of US troops and intelligence agencies operatives in the country is a threat to Pakistan’s security and sovereignty. No such agreement of cooperation exists between the two countries on record,” he said, asking the government to bring transparency in such matters.
