News
Sunday, July 04, 2010
Time to unite, not score points, says Shahbaz* Punjab chief minister says interior minister’s comments conspiracy to trigger clash among provinces
LAHORE: It is not the time for scoring points, but to unite the nation against terrorists who threaten to sabotage peace in the country, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday.
While condoling with the family of Saleem Akhtar, a volunteer from Sargodha who laid down his life in an attempt to capture one of the terrorists at Data Darbar, Shahbaz said the whole nation condemned the statement by Interior Minister Rehman Malik regarding Punjabi Taliban, saying it was a conspiracy to trigger a clash among the provinces.
Punjab Auqaf Minister Ahsanuddin Qureshi and several other Punjab Assembly members accompanied Shahbaz.
The chief minister said some “shortsighted people” did not realise that the country was passing through its most critical phase.
He said Saleem Akhtar displayed exemplary courage and bravery in his attempt to capture a terrorist, and he would continue to live in the hearts of the people.
Shahbaz announced an amount of Rs 3 million as compensation for Akhtar’s family and free education for his children.
The chief minister told reporters that the country could not be strengthened without curbing the menace of terrorism.
He said the country’s enemies wanted to fulfill their designs of weakening the state by creating disharmony among the people, but the nation would foil all such designs. He said the situation demanded that the nation stand united against the enemy. Shahbaz said the country could not afford petty differences and the people needed to unite on a single platform to play their role for the solidarity of Pakistan.
While talking to members of national and provincial assemblies belonging to various districts later, chief minister said those who carried out the suicide attacks at Data Darbar were enemies of Islam and humanity, and would be punished in this life and the hereafter. He said the incident had not only saddened the people of Pakistan, but devotees living all over the world.
Shahbaz said no stone would be left unturned to trace out the culprits, adding that the perpetrators would not escape justice. staff report
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk