Nation is still facing the results of 12 Oct 1999 military coup: Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that derailing of a stable democratic system on October 12, 1999 was a serious conspiracy to create hurdles in the process of national progress and prosperity, the consequences of which are still being faced by the nation. It is a blessing of Almighty Allah that once again the real representatives of the people are in power but former dictator who pushed the country into the quagmire of problems is running around in the world.

In his message on the occasion of 12^th October, the Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, while paying rich tributes to the political forces particularly leaders and workers of Pakistan Muslim League-N who faced atrocities in the dictatorial era with courage and determination, said that 12^th October 1999 is the blackest day in our national history when a dictator toppled the democratic and elected government. He asked the political forces of Pakistan to renew their determination on this day that they would not allow such undemocratic step in future in Pakistan. He said had the democratic process not been sabotaged in various eras of the history of Pakistan, we would not have been facing serious problems like terrorism, loadshedding, price-hike and unemployment. However, it is a fact that the time serving elements under the patronage of former dictator ruined the country and the nation through corruption, loot and plunder, while the federal rulers instead of solving these problems have pushed the people into further crisis. Shahbaz Sharif said that it is an honour for PML-N that it adopted a strong and clear stance for the stability of democracy and democratic institutions and refused to become a part of any such step as was aimed at weakening the democratic system. He said that the solution to all problems of the country lies in continuity of democratic process and its stability, free from corruption, nepotism and plundering. He said had those development projects started in the communication, health, education and other sectors during the previous era of Nawaz Sharif, not been disrupted by dictator General Musharraf, Pakistan would have been among the developed countries of the world.

Shahbaz Sharif said that the Pakistani people salute the sacrifices of those heroes of the country and the nation who bravely faced the state brutalities during dictatorship of Musharraf and saved the democratic system through their sacrifices. Today, we would have to pledge that we would utilize all our energies for making Pakistan a country of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal in the real sense by upholding democratic principles, he concluded.