ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-N has urged the PPP-led coalition to “voluntarily quit” the federal and Sindh governments after the Supreme Court verdict in the Karachi violence case and warned it of a strong reaction if the judgment is not implemented in letter and spirit.
“The rulers at the centre and in Sindh have lost all moral grounds to continue in the government after their involvement in target killings and extortion has been proved. Therefore, it is better for the ruling party and its coalition partners to voluntarily quit,” PML-N's deputy secretary general Ahsan Iqbal said in a statement issued here on Friday.
He said the court's verdict had clearly exposed those involved in violence. If the rulers continue to stay in power despite the court's order, people will be justified to think that the coalition partners are together only to protect extortionists and criminal elements.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, Leader of Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan welcomed the verdict and said the government had no option now but to take action against those involved in killings in Karachi as identified by the court.
He said the PML-N would seek a response from Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the National Assembly on Monday about the government's plan for implementing the verdict.
Chaudhry Nisar claimed that the government was in a state of shock because of the court's decision and warned that there would be a strong reaction not only in Karachi but also in other parts of the country if it was not implemented. He said the verdict was comprehensive and would have far-reaching effects on the political landscape.
About the energy crisis, he said, the government had brought the situation under control temporarily by arranging Rs10 billion but the amount could meet the electricity demand only for a few days. “We will ask the prime minister about the circular debt on Monday,” he said.
Chaudhry Nisar praised a reported statement of Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani that the army had done what had to be done in the war on terror.
Talking to reporters in Mangla on Thursday, the army chief reportedly said there would be an army operation in any area only to improve law and order and troops could not stay permanently in such areas.
Chaudhry Nisar said the army chief's announcement was in accordance with the decisions taken at the Sept 29 all party conference on the security situation.
From now onwards, the army would participate only in Pakistan's own wars, he said.
The PML-N leader, however, regretted that such an announcement should have come from the government through the defence ministry and not directly from the army chief. But, he said, the government was not competent enough to do so.
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