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| November 1, 2005 | Tuesday | Ramzan 27, 1426 |
Shujaat criticizes ARD
LAHORE, Oct 31: PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Husain says that in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake when thousands of people have been killed, it is ‘criminal’ on the part the opposition parties to make political demands like seeking the return of exiled leaders Mian Nawaz Sharif, Mian Shahbaz Sharif and Ms Benazir Bhutto as a pre-condition for their participation in the government-sponsored all-party conference aimed at discussing relief measures.
“This is not the right time for bargaining. Helping those who have lost their families or are waiting for assistance to be able to survive should be the top priority of the government and the opposition,” he said while talking to Dawn on Monday.
He was asked if the government could allow the exiled leaders to return to Pakistan, as demanded by the ARD at a meeting in Islamabad on Monday.
The ruling party chief was not ready to discuss the matter even if the exiled leaders expressed their willingness to face cases against them or to stay away from politics and let the current set-up work.
“There should be no bargaining at this juncture when the country has been struck by adversity. Personal demands can be discussed when the displaced people are rehabilitated and the situation returns to normal,” the PML leader said.
He said it was regrettable that every time the government approached the opposition parties on any national issue, they started demanding permission for the exiled leaders to return home and withdrawal of cases against them. He said such demands would be of little help in improving conditions of the displaced people of Azad Kashmir and NWFP.
Asked about the role of opposition parties in the relief activities, he said some religious parties were doing a commendable job while others were waiting for the government to commit mistakes so that they could highlight them. He said the PPP and the PML-N were in the latter category.
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