News
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Martial law unacceptable come what may: Nawaz* PML-N chief says govt should call early elections and get fresh mandate from people to save democracy
By Masroor Afzal Pasha
KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif warned on Tuesday that a military coup would further deteriorate the country’s situation.
While talking to journalists, the PML-N chief further said, “Whether this government remains or not, military’s role in politics is unacceptable.” If army took over now, the situation would further deteriorate, he added. Nawaz made it clear that the PML-N will not support any undemocratic or unconstitutional steps to destabilise democracy. “Our country is currently facing isolation and there is an urgent need to stop committing mistakes,” he stressed.
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) should hold early general elections in the country to get a fresh mandate from the people to save democracy and reduce uncertainty, he demanded. The PML-N, he said, approached the Supreme Court on the memo controversy due to parliament’s failure to take decisions on issues of national importance, and to ascertain the culprits behind the issue.
Nawaz regretted that the PPP did not accept his party’s offer to defeat the designs of anti-democratic forces when it was possible. He said President Asif Ali Zardari had disappointed him on many occasions. Oil prices rose due to the IPPs set up by PPP, he claimed while calling for power generation from indigenous coal and gas reserves.
“We will consider lowering income tax and import duty to 10 percent to enhance revenue collection, check tax evasion as well as corruption,” he said, adding that his party wanted to strengthen the roots of democracy. The PPP, Nawaz said, had wasted an opportunity to teach the establishment a lesson. He further said judiciary too will have to play its role to save democracy.
Commenting on the Balochistan situation, Nawaz said “I see a ray of hope in retrieving the situation in Balochistan by holding dialogues for which I have already met with the Baloch leaders, including Sardar Attaullah Mengal, and would do so in future.” Nawaz also announced that the PML-N would discuss its election manifesto on Friday. The party will incorporate the points about economic growth, resolution of energy crisis and jobs creation in its election manifesto, he added.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk