Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif observed on Tuesday that President Asif Ali Zardari should either resign or distance himself from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
“The presidency has become a centre of politics for the last four and a half years and he (Zardari) should distance himself from party politics and remain impartial till elections,” said Nawaz in an interview with a private TV news channel.
He added that all political decisions are made in the Presidency and if such activities continue it would definitely mar the electoral process and cast doubts on the fairness of the elections and that any controversy pertaining to the elections can give birth to agitation. Nawaz said that the PPP government would not be allowed to delay the general elections on the pretext of deteriorating law and order situation in Balochistan. He said that fresh, fair and transparent elections in Balochistan were panacea of all the ills prevailing in the province. He called upon all political parties to ensure fair elections.
To a question, he said that talks between the government and opposition for the appointment of a caretaker prime minister were underway, adding that the caretaker prime minister should be a person who is accepted by all the stakeholders and capable of holding transparent polls. He added that the PML-N has given a list comprised of eight names of non-controversial personalities and one can be picked for the caretaker premier’s slot.
To another question, Nawaz responded that people are mistaken if they believed that PML-N voted Zardari into power. “It is a misconception and we never cast vote in favor of Zardari,” he maintained. Nawaz also vowed to arrest the killers of the renowned Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti.
Referring to Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan, the PML-N chief said that nobody could eradicate corruption within 30 days.
Answering a question regarding riots on the Youme-e-Ishq-e Rasool (Peace Be Upon Him), he said those who resorted to violent protests brought bad name to Pakistan. Condemning the profane movie produced by a US filmmaker, he said this had really hurt sentiments of Muslims all over the world.
Replying to a question, he rebuffed the possibility of welcoming the Chaudhry brothers in the party.
