LAHORE, Jan 1: The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) is in contact with political parties, including the PML-Q, in and outside parliament to explore possibilities of cooperation for “developing the democratic process”, says Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly. He also hinted that his party was devising a strategy to counter the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP’s) moves, what he said, aimed at dislodging the PML-N government in Punjab.
At a press conference here on Thursday, Mr Khan said that the party was in contact with other parties, including those in the coalition at the centre, to see if a consensus could be developed on issues like “furthering the democratic process and for a better progress of the country”.
He confirmed reports that the PML-Q had also been approached and that the situation would be clear in next few weeks.
He would not admit that all these contacts were aimed at forging a substitute for the government which, he alleged, had failed at economic management fronts.
“Time is not ripe to take a strong stance and offer some alternative to the present government.”
He said his party did not want to destabilise PPP’s “minority government” in the centre through horse trading.
About Governor Salmaan Taseer’s political activities, he said the man had some agenda as unlike the governors of other provinces. “Next few months will reveal ground realities and the standing of every one,” he said.
He did not directly say that like the Jamaat-i-Islami his party too wanted mid-term polls, when asked if there was need for mid-term polls keeping in view increasing tension between the two largest parties in the National Assembly.
He warned the government that it was time to learn lessons from these messages as its eight-month performance, especially related to public welfare programmes, had been poor.He alleged the PPP government had created some problems by itself, while giving it some margin by saying some of the troubles were inherited (from the Musharraf regime) and some were the result of international circumstances.
He, however, hastened to add that his party would not give any margin to the government on corruption and bad government.
He rejected the suggestion that Army Chief Pervez Kayani should be reached to get undone the Nov 3 emergency orders by then army chief Gen Musharraf.
“There is an institution, parliament, to undo the unconstitutional orders though the job can be accomplished even without it. Armed forces must never be involved in government matters.”
The opposition leader said the PML-N would table in two months a bill in parliament to undo the 17th Amendment from the Constitution.
He said his party would support the proposed long march of lawyers for the reinstatement of judges sacked on Nov 3, 2007.
He referred to Sharifuddin Pirzada’s status as adviser, saying that slain PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto had committed with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif while signing the Charter of Democracy that all those people who had in any way facilitated army action against the democratic system would be prosecuted.
