Emphasising on the need for soul-searching to face challenges confronting the country, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif invited all stakeholders on Friday to frame a long-term national agenda to steer the country out of the crises it is facing.
“The government should make its terms of engagement with the United States in the war on terror public,” he demanded at a press conference here. He said despite various sacrifices Pakistan was being dubbed a criminal, therefore the time had come for soul-searching. Nawaz said the implementation of the All-Parties Conference (APC)’s resolution was a test for the government. He said the priorities set by the government were damaging democracy.
Briefing reporters on the PML-N’s stance in the APC, Nawaz said: “Had the parliamentary resolutions been implemented in the past the country would have averted the present crises.” He said further that the issue of the war against terror had been discussed in parliament in detail and the parliamentary committee on national security had also given recommendations to the government after five months of deliberations, but they were completely ignored. He also demanded the government get the unanimous resolution of the APC passed by parliament.
Sharif also said that Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) contractor Raymond Davis was released mysteriously, adding that the government’s tough stance on the Davis issue could have won the support of the international community for Pakistan. “Parliament had also passed a joint resolution on the May 2 incident and a commission had also been formed but no one paid any attention to these issues,” he added. Stating that the country would be united in the face of any external threat, Sharif said it was time to “start asking tough questions”.
He said it was strange to believe that there was no truth to accusations being leveled against Pakistan. He said Pakistan’s economic dependence was enslaving the country to foreign powers, and that it was impossible for one party to solve the country’s problems. “The government will have to frame a long-term agenda to ensure the sovereignty of the nation,” he added. The PML-N chief said Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s decision to call an APC was a good one. Sharif said Pakistan had sacrificed precious lives in the war and the United States had not acknowledged the country’s role.
Sharif asked the government to constitute a parliamentary committee to ensure implementation of the resolution passed by the APC on Thursday without any procrastination. He said any negligence in this regard could be harmful to the sovereignty of the country. He also urged the government to refrain from corruption and honour the judiciary’s decisions in order to improve its governance. He said the time had come to break the begging bowl.
The PML-N chief again criticised President Asif Ali Zardari for writing an article in an American newspaper immediately after the May 2 raid in Abbottabad. Sharif said the government was negligent about the Balochistan issue.
THE concerns expressed by Nawaz Sharif in APC and in his press conference yesterday about our national and international policies regarding our security have been taken differently by the political analysts. While few agree with his views and consider it in the national interest and those who do not agree, are criticizing him for pleasing America.
Nawaz Sharif has served Pakistan two times as PM , so he will not do anything which is against the national interests.World opinion about Pakistan today is of a failing state and we have not made any positive effort to negate this opinion.Fingers point towards us for any terrorist activity and without any involvement in these incidents, we try to clarify our position and world does not believe.Our allies in this war are supposed to trust us, even they do not trust us and blame us and our organizations for involvement in these terror activities.
There is no harm in accepting our mistakes, if any , and avoid such policies in future.
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