PML-N CWC meeting fails to finalize protest plan: Shahbaz's deportation
By Our Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, May 19: The Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-N fizzled out with a whimper here on Wednesday, as it failed to finalize any protest plan on the deportation of party president Shahbaz Sharif.
Briefing newsmen after the CWC meeting, the PML-N chairman, Raja Zafarul Haq, read out a three-page resolution condemning the deportation of Mr Sharif, arrest of party leaders and activists, prisoners' abuse in Iraq, Wana operation, change in textbooks and bye-elections in Karachi.
Soon after the deportation of Shahbaz Sharif, the PML-N leaders started issuing statements that they would lodge a strong protest over this act of the government and the strategy would be finalized in the next CWC meeting.
In reply to a question regarding future strategy, the PML-N acting parliamentary leader, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, said he had made informal meetings with various opposition leaders and they were contemplating to requisition the National Assembly session as early as possible.
Raja Zafarul Haq, while briefing the newsmen, said the joint meeting of the CWC and parliamentary party of the PML-N had expressed "unshakable confidence in the sagacious leadership of its Quaid, Nawaz Sharif."
He said the meeting had renewed its pledge to continue the struggle for the restoration of democracy with stepped-up dedication and determination under the guidance of Nawaz Sharif.
"This meeting strongly condemns the deportation of Shahbaz Sharif. This action of the government has not only violated the constitutional provisions guaranteeing a citizen's right to arrive and live in the country, but has also in effect rebuffed the Supreme Court ruling, wherein it was explained that Shahbaz Sharif could not be stopped from returning to the country", he said.
He said Mr Shahbaz Sharif was forced into exile on December 10, 2000 after over a year in detention, but "the military rulers, who had captured power after deposing an elected government at gunpoint," were not able to register any case against him.
"It was only in his absence that certain baseless and fake cases were registered, and then he was illegally declared an absconder", he added. He said the forced exile of Mr Sharif clearly indicated that the government was afraid of the logical result of the cases, and was not prepared itself to face the courts.
"This meeting also considers it necessary to state that the so-called exile agreement that members of the puppet government set by the generals had been repeatedly flaunting stands exposed as a lie. Shahbaz Sharif's arrival in Lahore proved that no such agreement ever existed," he added.
The meeting, condemning government actions, requests the SC to take suo motu notice of the matter and arraign the government and its functionaries for contempt of court, he said.
The PML-N chairman said the meeting had condemned continuing countrywide arrests of the PML-N leaders and workers, and the government campaign to institute baseless and fake cases against them. He demanded that all detained leaders and workers should be released forthwith, and the cases registered against them be dropped.
The meeting, he said, had expressed deep concern over the occupation of Iraq by western allies. "We condemn the inhuman treatment of Iraqi prisoners, and the onslaught on the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf by coalition forces and wanton killing of the Iraqi citizens", he said.
The meeting, he said, urged the government not to send Pakistani troops to Iraq until all occupation forces were withdrawn and the UN took over the administration of the country.
