General elections will not be postponed:Nawaz Sharif

Lahore: Quaid Pakistan Muslim League-N Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has expressed his belief that the general elections will not be postponed, delayed or sabotaged. He said that the people waiting for change are anxious to use their constitutional right of vote. He further said that depriving the state from politics which came into being through political process and struggle of a political party under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam will be like breaking the relationship between sole and body.

He was addressing a seminar on 40th Martyrdom Day of Khawaja Rafique Shaheed held under the aegis of Khawaja Rafique Shaheed Foundation at Alhamra, here today. He said that we along with the people waited for five years and played our due role for the reformation of constitution and political system distorted by a dictator. Had we not in parliament, all these would not have been happened, he added. Nawaz Sharif said that there is an impartial and independent Election Commission and the entire nation has trust on it. He said that the day when assemblies will be dissolved, impartial caretakers’ governments will be set up in the Center and provinces within three days under whose supervision, general elections will be held.

He stressed upon President Zardari not to cross the limits of his constitutional role, otherwise, he will become disputed and will also make the elections disputed. He said that we had come to Pakistan few days ago before the last general elections and our nomination papers were rejected under NRO. No one knew who will be our Prime Minister and Chief Minister. Musharraf, agencies, Governor, Nazims and caretakers all were against us. We lost 20 – 22 seats with nominal margin but did not lodge any complaint of rigging as we wanted to start a new morning instead of raising hue and cry of rigging. That is why, we preferred national and country’s interest over personal and party interest. Nawaz Sharif said 10 years ago, no one had courage to talk about the political role of establishment and agencies but PML-N first condemned those Generals who imposed martial law. He said that some people of media, civil society and the lawyers also supported us. He said that we supported supremacy of law and the constitution, sent behind the bar, handcuffed and accepted exile but did not compromise with dictator.

Nawaz Sharif said that we can also make NRO and an offer was made to us. He said that before his return to the country, Musharraf tried his level best to meet with him in Saudi Arabia but he replied that he can leave the politics but cannot join hands with Musharraf. That is why, our nomination papers were rejected and the judiciary comprising unconscious judges of that era also supported the dictator. He said that when some politicians were gone behind the scene, we played our role for the restoration and independence of judiciary despite serious threats. He said that the efforts of political workers and the people and our everlasting commitment with democracy will succeed and PML-N will get thumping success in general elections throughout the country. Paying rich tributes to Khawaja Rafique Shaheed, Nawaz Sharif said that Khawaja Shaheed had always been fighting against undemocratic forces for the ideology of rule of democracy and even sacrificed his life. He said that the PML-N is custodian of that ideology and the best way to pay tributes to Khawaja Rafique is to struggle and implement that ideology.

Addressing the seminar, President PML-N Sindh Ghaus Ali Shah said that if we want to strengthen Pakistan and democracy, we should support Mian Nawaz Sharif. He said that Mian Nawaz Sharif talk about those principles which help promote democratic values in Pakistan. He said that the nation considers Mian Nawaz Sharif as a leader who displayed courage in the hour of trial in 1998 and considered the honour or respect of the nation dearer than his life. He said that Mian Nawaz Sharif is that leader who made the founder party of Pakistan as a vibrant party after being elected as President PML-N in 1993 and had launched an effective contact campaign in Sindh at a large scale as a result of which Muslim League also formed government in Sindh. Syed Ghaus Ali Shah saluted the boldness and political wisdom of Khawaja Muhammad Rafique and said that Khawaja Rafique embraced martyrdom but did not compromise on principles.

Chairman Balochistan National Party (Mengal) and former Chief Minister Balochistan Sardar Akhtar Khan Mengal in his telephonic address said that cruelties of the past is still being committed with the Baloch people. He said that the blots of blood of Baloch can be seen on the preamble of the constitution. He said that the people of Balochistan are being seen in queue before morgue for identifying the dead bodies of their lost dear ones. He said that every city and village of Balochistan is bleeding. He said that Zardari, Gillani and present federal government are not declared innocent from the cruelties and excesses being committed in Balochistan. He said that the wounds of Baloch cannot be healed only through seeking verbal apology. He said that everyone is included in that sin who instead of ensuring implementation of the constitution, preferred protection of his interest. Had Pakistani nation taken any lesson from fall of Dhaka, then punishment would have been awarded to the responsible of this tragedy whether they are in uniform or without uniform. Sardar Akhtar Mengal thanked leadership of PML-N for inviting his father Sardar Ataullah Mengal to Lahore and said if the brutalities in Balochistan should be stopped, missing persons should be traced out and the dead bodies of the lost sons are returned to the Balochs then we are ready to come to Lahore. He said that if the responsible are not awarded punishment according to the law then people of Balochistan have the right to choose their own path.

Central leader of Muslim League-N Kh. Muhammad Asif in his address said that people of Pakistan like ideological faces of PML-N. He said that PML-N leadership should avoid such elements which can mar our ideological face. While paying tributes to Khawaja Rafique Shaheed, he said that Khawaja Rafique was a beacon of light for true ideological workers. He was among those companions of former Prime Minister Hussain Shaheed Soharwardi who had raised voice against the dictatorial forces.

Kh. Asif while referring to the cruelties against the people of Balochistan said that the rulers who take dictation of secret agencies, usurp billions of rupees in the name of development projects and basic rights seen in only books than there will be treason. He said that during the era of Premiership of Mian Nawaz Sharif, serious efforts were made for removing the deprivations of Balochistan and the Blochs were given their constitutional rights but later the rulers wiped out everything by martyring Baloch leaders. He said that now the people of all the provinces are looking towards Mian Nawaz Sharif as they want real democracy and independence. He said that the present government has completed its five years only due to the tolerance by Mian Nawaz Sharif and his commitment to democracy otherwise we can also hatch conspiracy against the elected government. He said it is the right of the people that they should be given an opportunity to renew their mandate on the fixed date.

The talks about delay in general elections are conspiracy of stopping the way of democratic forces, he added. He said that the people know the faces of those who are hatching conspiracies to stop them from renewing of their mandate. He said that people of Pakistan are protecting their rights and will not allow those involved in establishing a state within the state to usurp rights of the people. He said that PML-N will not surrender its constitutional right and hoped that in the next elections people of Pakistan will get a chance of correcting their mistakes made in 2008 elections. He said that the elements creating confusion by raising a slogan of bringing so called change and saving the state instead of politics are insulting the approach, wisdom and conscious of the people. He said that the hidden forces had screened a film in Lahore on October 30, last year, had flopped. There is a programme of showing another film in Lahore tomorrow and the people have realized it that this is a dummy film.

While addressing on the occasion, Central General Secretary Jamaat-e-Islami Liaquat Baloch said that supremacy of law, social justice and good governance are the only remedy of all problems. He said that all the political parties of Pakistan are unison on the parliamentary democracy and there is a need to ensure just distribution of resources and national jirga should be called to restore the confidence of Balochistan by removing its deprivations. He urged upon all the democratic forces to be united and do not let any political party to flee from holding general elections. He also emphasized upon to make Election Commission more powerful and to discourage use of huge money in elections. He said that Pakistan will remain forever and will get its due status in the comity of the nations with the efforts of political workers.

Elder son of Kh. Muhammad Rafique Shaheed, Kh. Saad Rafiq MNA, in his address, said that it is a noble cause to stop the turncoats to hostage the political parties like fighting against dictators. He suggested Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif to remain alert from the new entrants in PML-N and said that we will not let anyone to harm democracy. Former President Supreme Court Bar Association and human rights activist Asima Jehangir termed the presence of political parties a blessing for Pakistan. She said that due to the absence of political parties in Afghanistan, peace could not be maintained there for the last many decades. Renowned anchor person Hamid Mir and provincial Advisor Kh. Salman Rafique also addressed the seminar.