July 01, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 26, 1429

LAHORE, June 30: Complaining that the PPP is ignoring its coalition partners while taking important national decisions like the army operation in Fata, the PML-N has warned that the action against “our own people” will have serious consequences on the fate of the country.

“Whenever security agencies and armed forces were let loose on the people, it shook the very foundations of the country,” party’s parliamentary leader in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told a press conference here on Monday.

Flanked by Pervaiz Rasheed and Asif Kirmani, he said even if the action was necessary, it should not have been decided by one person or a party.

“The nation should have been taken into confidence through the parliament as an action having the support of the masses will have been effective.”

Regretting that the PPP government did not take its allies into confidence at any level before the operation, he said the issue would be taken up on the floor of the house.

However, he made it clear that the party would continue to support the government in the name of stability of the system.

Khan claimed both PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif had decided in a meeting that the war on terror policy of the past government would be reviewed and that negotiations would be given a chance and in case the talks failed a new strategy would be framed after taking on board all the coalition partners.

But he deplored that the allies were not taken into confidence at any stage of the decision. Neither the government divulged details of the peace deal nor it specified which violation by the tribesmen warranted the army action, he added.

Even the intelligence agencies were unclear about who were involved in violence in the tribal areas, he told a questioner, alleging that some foreign forces were also behind the unrest in Fata.

“When missiles and bombs will continue hitting the tribal area, how can the victims be expected not to react.”

The PML-N also expressed its concern at reports that the army chief had been given a free hand to conduct the operation.

Khan said the army high command had stated that the force would work under the constitution and according to the policy of the government as required under the basic law but allowing it to take decisions on its own was a matter of concern.

Stressing that the PML-N believed in solving issues through talks locally, he said US assistant secretary of state Richard Boucher would also be conveyed the same message when he would call on party chief Nawaz Sharif here on Tuesday (today).

Answering a question about increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court through the finance bill, Khan said it was a personal suggestion of Ishaq Dar given in an informal meeting that the apex court strength could be enhanced from 16 to 26 through the finance bill while the PPP never took the PML-N into confidence about formally adopting this suggestion.

He said the PPP-PML-N alliance was based on restoration of judges and that the party would not give the government unlimited time for the purpose as a strategy in this regard had been prepared.

He denied reports that PML-N ministers were enjoying any perk and privileges, including stay in the minister’s colony, after resigning from their offices over a month ago.