LAHORE: Yousuf Raza Gilani has questioned the timing of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to Saudi Arabia, wondering how the premier could leave the country in the middle of a war.

"One wonders how the prime minister can leave the country at a time when it is in the middle of a war," the former prime minister said.

Talking to Dawn here on Wednesday, Mr Gilani said: "It is understandable that he (Mr Sharif) has gone to perform a ritual (Umra), but Pakistan needs him more at this time as he has a lot of responsibility being the country’s premier," he said.

Replying a question that whether Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari's simultaneous tours of Saudi Arabia and the United States, respectively, have anything to do with 'saving' the PML-N government, Mr Gilani said: "I would only say the prime minister should have stayed in the country to fight terrorism along with armed forces."

The former premier, however, did not back Shehla Raza's statement that Mr Zardari had proceeded to the US to remind the Americans of their ‘past promises to protect democracy' in Pakistan.

Ms Raza, who is a senior PPP leader and Sindh Assembly deputy speaker, had also disclosed in a private TV talk show that it had been agreed under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) that no martial law would be imposed till three general elections in the country.

“America, Britain and the UAE had held out their guarantees in this regard,” she had said.

Mr Gilani, however, said: "There had been no such understanding in the NRO. No one else but the 180 million people have to decide which system they want in their country." He further cautioned the PML-N government that the people were already on the roads because of worst loadshedding and it would not be difficult for the PTI to make them part of its long march on Aug 14.

"The government should immediately resolve the energy crisis, otherwise, it will have to face people’s wrath," he said.

Mr Gilani advised the prime minister to call for international help over IDPs. "International help is needed to address this grave issue of IDPs of North Waziristan. The Nawaz-government should correct the mistake and make an appeal (to the world)," he said.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2014