Nawaz gives call to arms

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Monday decided to launch a decisive movement against the government to be initiated by staging a protest demonstration outside the Presidency led by Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, probably on Wednesday (tomorrow).
The PML-N’s decision of launching a series of protest rallies against the government’s alleged failure in resolving the energy crisis, controlling corruption, safeguarding country’s sovereignty and addressing the issues of unemployment and inflation was taken in the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) and Parliamentary Party meetings chaired by PML-N President Nawaz Sharif. “Nawaz has asked party MNAs to stage protest demonstrations in the House and lead protest rallies in their hometowns when the National Assembly session is adjourned on the weekend for two days… the PML-N lawmakers will also stage a sit-in in front of Aiwan-e-Sadr,” said a PML-N MNA, seeking anonymity.
A source in the party said the PML-N’s parliamentary party had also constituted a committee headed by Khwaja Saad Rafique to finalise the modalities of PML-N’s plan of launching protests against the government. “The committee under Saad Rafique will manage and supervise party’s protest demonstrations across the country,” the source added. He said that in the PML-N’s parliamentary party meeting, opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan raised concern over electoral rolls being prepared by the Election Commission of Pakistan, saying the government was planning to rig the next election.
Meanwhile, addressing the meeting of the PML-N CWC, Nawaz said President Asif Ali Zardari was proving to be a threat to democracy. “Due to bad policies of the government, Pakistan is being isolated internationally,” he said. Nawaz asked party workers to fully participate in people’s protest rallies against load shedding. “Pakistan is facing multiple external and internal challenges while the federal government has taken no measures to counter these challenges. It seeks help from opposition when it is in trouble but once the trouble is over it bins unanimous resolutions passed by parliament,” he said.
He said that despite making uncountable sacrifices in the war against terror, Pakistan was being questioned and criticised. “The resolutions passed by parliament on the Abbottabad operation have not been implemented and the prime minister did not consult the opposition leader over the formation of the Abbottabad commission,” he said. Nawaz said a power plant of 450MW was lying unattended at the Karachi port and it could help reduce the power crisis. He said the people were on the streets to protest against load shedding and asked party workers to come forward and join the protest rallies.
“Our sympathies are with the protesters and our workers should express solidarity with them,” he said. Nawaz also criticised the increase in petroleum and gas prices, saying the high interest rates had created problems for traders. The PML-N chief said the volume of local and foreign loans had touched Rs 11 trillion and stressed on the need to break the beggar’s bowl. “We should not further test our friendly countries and admit our mistakes.” Nawaz said the fate of the country was being decided by two men and they were imposing their decisions on the entire country.
“Sindh is suffering due to floods and immediately the government appealed for international aid. The government’s record is not good, why should the international community give us aid. Foreign aid is being used by the rulers for their own luxuries,” he added. Nawaz said justice could not prevail in a country where the judiciary’s decisions were ridiculed. “The court punishes an individual and the very next day President Zardari pardons him. Corrupt ministers are being appointed over the people,” he said. Nawaz said the federal government was being run on commissions and kickbacks and the worst form of corruption was rampant across the country.
Announcing that he would visit Balochistan in a couple of days, Nawaz said the killers of Akbar Bugti should be held accountable and missing persons be recovered at the earliest. The PML-N chief said the country’s economy was on the verge of collapse due to the ongoing war, energy crisis and poor law and order.
SHAHBAZ ANGRY: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif told a private TV channel that all options, including long march, were open to get the power crisis resolved, adding that he himself would participate in public protests against load shedding.