PML-N flexes muscles to oust government
13 January, 2012
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif on Thursday urged coalition partners of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) to part ways with the government as his party weighs various options to oust the government.
He said that the party had given him three options to choose from, which included resignations of the party parliamentarians from the National Assembly, long march and bringing a no-confidence motion against the prime minister. Nawaz, who chaired a joint meeting of the party's central working committee and parliamentary party at the Punjab House, was critical of the government's policy of confrontation with the country's institutions. However, he said that his party would not favour any unconstitutional step in result of the current standoff, adding that there was no possibility of any unconstitutional move.
He criticised the government for not implementing the Supreme Court's verdict on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), adding that the government had lost all reasons to remain in power and should hold early elections. He also appealed the PPP coalition partners to part ways with the government for its failure to put its house in order.
He told his party members that national institutions were on the verge of collapse and there was no sign that the rulers would put their house in order, rather they had continued a policy of confrontation with the institutions.
He said that the country was facing severe energy crisis, price hike and unemployment but President Zardari was neither able to pay any attention to these issues nor does he feel any responsibility to address these issues.
He regretted that the situation would not have worsened to such an extent if the Charter of Democracy (CoD) was implemented in letter and spirits. Referring to the current standoff between civilian government and the military establishment, the PML-N chief said that there should not be any confrontation between government and military, saying it was not in favour of the country.
He said that his party wanted supremacy of the constitution, democracy, rule of law and the independence of judiciary.
Meanwhile, briefing reporters after the meeting, PML-N Deputy General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said that the meeting discussed all options including resignations from assembly, the possible no confidence move against the prime minister and long march for the possible ouster of the government. He said the party empowered Nawaz to decide options against the government.
He said that the PML-N had started contacting all political parties from Wednesday for making joint strategy against the government and the party chief also contacted JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman by telephone and discussed with him the current political situation.
He said that due to the failed economic policies of the current government, the country's loans had increased from Rs 5 trillion to Rs 11.5 trillion.
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