News
Thursday, June 06, 2013
PML-N chief gets 244 votes, takes oath from ZardariNawaz returns to power; seeks unity
* PM seeks help from all political parties to steer country out of crises
* Says he has no ‘magic wand’ to resolve all issues overnight
* Calls for end to drone attacks
By Farooq Awan and Ijaz Kakakhel
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif took the reins of the country on Wednesday in an unprecedented but tricky third term as prime minister, more than 13 years after he was ousted in a bloodless coup, jailed and finally sent into exile by now-jailed military dictator Pervez Musharraf.
Some 244 members of the total 320 present in the Lower House of the parliament endorsed Nawaz Sharif for the next chief executive of the country, before he took oath of his office from President Asif Ali Zardari at a huge ceremony attended by two former prime ministers from the PPP and a former president, besides services chiefs, diplomats and several well-known politicians and high-ranking officials.
The ceremony marked the first-ever transition of power from a democratically elected government after completion of its full five-year term to another civilian government in a country that has been ruled by all-powerful army for more than half its history since independence from Britain in 1947.
Makhdoom Amin Fahim of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) could secure only 42 votes and Javed Hashmi of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) got 31 votes. Apart from PPP and the PTI, who fielded their own candidates for Leader of the House, all political parties and independent members cast their votes in favour of Nawaz Sharif. Sheikh Rasheed, however, voted for Javed Hashmi.
In his maiden speech to the lawmakers, Nawaz pledged to tackle Pakistan’s ‘jungle of problems’, as he reaffirmed commitment of his government to restore law and order, check poverty, bridle burgeoning national debt and weed out rampant corruption. However, he made it clear that he had no ‘magic wand’ to resolve all issues overnight. He told lawmakers that all these goals could only be achieved if all political forces get united and strive to put the country on road to prosperity. He invited all the political parties to share his party’s national agenda for steering the country out of crises.
Nawaz said his party had already laid the foundation of a progressive Pakistan by accepting the mandate of PTI in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other political parties in Balochistan. He said his government would treat all the provincial governments without any discrimination.
Nawaz said that result of the May 11 elections has proved that Pakistan and democracy are part and parcel. “Pakistan has already paid heavy price for un-constitutionalism. No more room for any adventurism,’ Nawaz told the Lower House. “Now it should be crystal clear in everyone’s minds that Pakistan’s survival, protection, sovereignty, progress, prosperity and respect in the international community depends upon strengthening democracy in the country.”
On Balochistan, Nawaz said for the first time ‘true leadership’ will be governing the province. He said Gwadar will be linked with China through Khanjrab Pass by rail and road network. Nawaz proposed to the provincial leadership to give special status of free port to Gwadar port.
The prime minister called for end to drone attacks by US in the tribal areas. “We respect the sovereignty of others and they should also respect our sovereignty and independence. The drone campaign should come to an end,” he told the lawmakers.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk