- PML-N supreme leader says ‘I only asked why Mumbai attack trial was not completed and it should be answered’
- Former PM demands national commission to ascertain allegations of treason against him, says Musharraf had made similar comments
- Says guilty should be hanged ‘be it him or those levelling allegations against him’
ISLAMABAD: Adamant that there was nothing wrong with his statement regarding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif on Monday demanded the formation of a national commission in light of the recent ‘treason’ allegations against him.
Nawaz said that he is not the first one to have stated these facts, while referring to his comments in a recent interview, which has sparked a controversy, wherein he had said, “Militant organisations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can’t we complete the trial?”
His remarks were played up by the Indian media as an “admission” of Pakistan’s involvement in the terrorist attacks.
Addressing the media outside the accountability court, Nawaz claimed, “Former president Pervez Musharraf, former interior minister Rehman Malik and former National Security Adviser Major-General (r) Mehmood Durrani had already confirmed [what I said].”
He said, “What is wrong in my statement. I only asked why terrorists killed 150 people. Why Mumbai trial was not completed. This should be answered.”
“Firstly, it should be told what I said exactly. Examine the Dawn newspaper for this,” he said and read out the relevant part from the newspaper to reporters.
“Now tell what wrong has been said in the statement. We gave a sacrifice of more than 50,000 people. The army did the same and our officers were martyred. Even then the world is not willing to accept our stance,” asked the former premier.
He also called out those local media outlets that had criticised his words. “I am being called a traitor on the media — they [the media] are being made to call me a traitor.”
“Are those who tore apart the country and the constitution patriots? Are those who pulled out judges from their offices’ patriots?”
Responding to a question, he said, “Kulbhushan Jadhav was a spy and I corroborate to the statement.”
Nawaz’s remarks on the controversy do not conform to the stance taken by his party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, whose president and Nawaz’s brother Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday tried to downplay his elder brother’s statement, saying that the former premier’s interview was twisted out of context by his political opponents.
Separately, on his Twitter handle, he had stated, “The PML-N rejects all assertions, direct or implied, made in news report of DAWN, dated 12-5-18. State of Pakistan & all its institutions stand together in the global fight against terrorism. We strongly believe that interests of Pakistan r supreme to all personal & political interests.”
“There can and shall never be any compromise on any national interest. The report has incorrectly attributed certain remarks to PML-N Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, which do not represent PML-N’s party policy.”
Furthermore, the PML-N spokesman had also issued a statement saying that the remarks of the party Quaid had been grossly misinterpreted by the Indian media. Unfortunately, he had said, a section of Pakistani electronic and social media has intentionally or unintentionally not only validated but lent credence to the malicious propaganda of Indian media without going through the full facts of the statement.
The spokesman had said the PML-N as the country’s premier popular national political party and its Quaid needs no certificate from anybody on their commitment and capacity to preserve, protect and promote Pakistan’s national security.
NAWAZ DEMANDS NATIONAL COMMISSION:
Separately, addressing a party rally in Buner on Monday, the former prime minister said that the guilty party, be it him for treason or those levelling allegations against him, should be publicly hanged following the verdict of the national commission.
“He who is ready to die for the country has been labelled a traitor,” he lamented.
The thrice prime minister lamented that those who were abrogating the constitution were not brought to justice while he was being penalized for sincerely serving the country. The PML-N supreme leader also demanded to form a commission for the money laundering allegations against him.
“We won’t let the NAB chairman off the hook so easily,” he said. “He must apologise and tender his resignation.”
“2018 will be the year of PML-N,” he told the attendees of the party’s rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The former prime minister took credit for clearing Buner of terrorists. “We salute the people of Buner to have bravely faced the trials and tribulations during the tough times,” he said.
Earlier, Maryam Nawaz addressed the rally participants and said that the nation’s relationship with Nawaz has only strengthened in the past 30 years.
“Being voted into the office time and again is the biggest proof of his patriotism,” she said.
“You choose the prime minister and members of the National Assembly through the power of your votes,” she had told the rally attendees.
“Can a person responsible for making the country’s defence impregnable be labelled a traitor,” she questioned. The PML-N leader said that it was her father Nawaz who had rid the country from power outages and terrorism.
