Munawar Hasan greets Nawaz Sharif on becoming PM third time

Lahore: Ameer, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, Syed Munawar Hasan,  has congratulated Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on his election as Prime Minister and expressed the hope that he will act as a national leader and adopt policies that can steer the country out of the cesspool of problems in which the former Military and Civil Governments have thrown it.

In a statement here on Wednesday, he said the JI would act as a principled opposition party in the Parliament and outside. It would support the Government on all such matters where they pursue policies in keeping with Pakistan’s Islamic identity, independence, self-reliance and vital interests of the country and its people. However, it would oppose the government wherever it violates these norms.

While extending his good wishes and prayers Syed Munawar Hasan said that although economy and energy are very pressing issues and should be addressed with all seriousness, the Nawaz Sharif Government must realize that Pakistan’s independence, sovereignty and honour are matters on which there cannot be any compromise. An independent foreign policy and a firm stand to bring to an end the American Drone attacks and persistent violations of our sovereignty must be our priority. America’s ‘War on Terror’ has been disastrous and Pakistan’s involvement in it lies at the root of most of our current problems.  Mian Nawaz Sharif must take a firm stand on this because most of our economic, political, law and order and other problems are interlinked with this. We expect a clear and categorical policy and firm steps on these issues representing the will of the people.

While we want good and friendly relations with all our neighbours including India, normalization with India without solving Kashmir, and Water and security issues of Pakistan is not acceptable. Any hasty move in this respect would not be in the best interests of Pakistan.

Syed Munawar Hasan lauded Mian Nawaz Sharif’s positive approach in respect of Baluchistan and expressed the hope  that the real causes of tension and conflict and genuine grievances of the Baloch people would be addressed so that  all the provinces strive to live and make progress as members of one family.

The JI Ameer further said that we respect results of the elections despite the serious weaknesses in the electoral process, failures of the PEC, and criminal efforts to rig, manage and hijack elections in some parts of the country. Yet, it is in the best interest of the growth of democracy that all these blunders of the electoral process must be taken seriously and redressed as early as possible.

Syed Munawar Hasan said the Government must ensure that the real problems of the people are addressed and their aspirations to build Pakistan as an Islamic, Democratic Welfare state are fully respected and pursued.

Meanwhile commenting on President Zardari’s remarks that drone were not vultures that could be drowned without repercussions, Syed Munawar Hasan said this was the height of cowardice and reflected a slavish mentality, He said that the nations which valued their independence and sovereignty, did not involve themselves in such discussions and if they had to drown the drones to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, they would not give importance to the drones more than the vultures. It was unfortunate, he said, that out sovereignty was being trammeled upon and our innocent women, children and aged people were being killed, but we were

giving a lecture of lesson of cowardice to the nation through the discussion of drones and vultures.

The JI Ameer urged upon the new Premier Mian Nawaz Sharif to give the nation the gift of independence and sovereignty at the first step by stopping drone attacks.