SAARC countries to follow European Union model:Shahbaz Sharif

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, during his speech at a ceremony held in the honour of members of South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), gave solid and thought-provoking proposals to resolve mutual differences of SAARC countries that were admired by the SAFMA members.

The Chief Minister presented the proposals of adopting the European Union model to resolve the problems of SAARC countries and said that if the European countries, which remained at war for centuries could unite, why SAARC countries could not adopt the same approach. The Chief Minister said that Pakistan and India are nuclear states and if God forbid a war breaks out, nobody will survive; therefore, we will have to live with peace. Comparing corruption in Pakistan and India, the Chief Minister said that this menace exists in both countries but when Hawala scandal, Bofors scandal, Jayalalitha scandal and scandals about Narasimha Rao and other prominent leaders emerged, I realized that our scandals are smaller as compared to Indian scandals, but the institutions are more powerful in India and accountability process is effective.

The Chief Minister said that he has been a history student and history teaches that we should bury the past and look towards the future. Comparing the Pakistani electronic media with the youth, he said that both demand freedom.