NewsDecember 25 , 2017
Fighting is futile: Saad
LAHORE: Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique has said that a clash or fight would give nothing to anyone and all should forgive each other and move forward.Speaking at a ceremony organised to observe his father's death anniversary, he said Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s briefing to the Senate and his assurance to unequivocally back democratic process in the country is a significant event in our political history. He said those working under him should also follow his orders and implement them in letter and spirit.
Listing the challenges being faced by the Constitution and democracy in Pakistan, he said every year a ceremony is held on the same topic because his father and his family did not believe in changing their ideology, and their struggle has been for the same cause for decades. Pakistan Muslim League-N central leader said it is a sad reality that for the past 70 years, we have been faced with the same issue and are still to reach our destiny.
He said the issue is not exclusive to any political party or politicians, it is the issue of every Pakistani who believes in true democracy, regardless of profession, political affiliation, religion or sect.
“If we want to keep this country united and see it progressing, there is no other way but to work for strengthening of democracy. All stakeholders of Pakistan, politicians, military, judiciary and bureaucracy all understand that this principle is the foundation of sustenance and progress of the country.
“The challenges that our country faces are so great that no government, party or institution can tackle them on their own,” he added. There is no doubt that democracy has been uprooted time and time again in our country, and it all started even before Ayub Khan, because even those who created Pakistan did not get the destination they were looking for after the creation of the country. “The founders of Pakistan didn’t arrive in the country they had envisioned. After independence, they started building decent lives for their families from a scratch, and the country’s elite snatched power from them,” he said. This happened because those landlords and elite who did not believe in Pakistan and had no stake in Pakistan hijacked the country’s power corridors and policymaking. He said that although his family was always in Pakistan Muslim League, they never endorsed any steps taken by its leadership while following the ideology of the establishment.
Saad dispelled the impression that the PML-N had locked horns with the judiciary and said that it has always respected courts, the rule of law and the Constitution. He said the verdict against Nawaz Sharif harmed democracy. He said the PML-N did not back the Supreme Court decisions against former premier Yusuf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Jehangir Khan Tareen. He said those who were using judiciary against political leaders must think over their policy. He said the Constitution gives the PML-N the right to express its dissent over the decisions which, it believes, are undermining the true sense of justice and accountability.
He said that those who blame the PML-N for clashing with the judiciary are themselves taking to the streets and standing on containers, instead of trusting the judicial system. “If Tahirul Qadri believes in the judicial system, he should fight his case in courts, instead of climbing onto containers.
“Staging sit-ins and blocking roads is not the right way to register your protest. True courage lies in following the path the law has laid down for this purpose,” he added, Commenting on the recent resignations of PML-N legislators from the party and the Pir Sialvi phenomenon, he said that those who had resigned had no connection with the finality of Prophethood (PBUH) issue. Various other politicians and leaders also spoke on the occasion.
Seasoned politician Makhdoom Javed Hashmi called upon the powerful circles not to derail democracy. He said times have changed and now they would have to decide where they are standing with democracy or other forces. He said people were facing hardshisp in Balochistan and Fata which should be taken notice of.
Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said if the democratic system could sustain in India despite corruption and atrocities against the minorities, why couldn’t it continue in Pakistan.
He criticised Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri and his other opponents. He said all corrupt people have gathered under the Imran Khan’s umbrella after General Pervez Musharraf. He claimed that the long march carried out in August and the Model Town tragedy were staged by the same force. He said inexperienced people could not run governments. Even a union council chairman possesses more experience that Imran Khan, then how come the fate of 200 million Pakistanis could be given in his hands.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) parliamentary leader in National Assembly Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui urged the Pakistan Muslim League-N leadership to shun politics of inheritance. He said if the party would do so, the MQM-P would stand with it through thick and thin. He said the fruits of democracy should also reach masses.
Punjab Health Minister Khwaja Salman Rafique, journalist Majibur Rehman Shami, Khwaja Ahmad Hassaan, Lahore Mayor Col (retd) Mubasher Ahmad, Chaudhry Shahbaz Ahmad, Bano Akhtar and others were also present in the conference.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk
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