The deposed Chief Minister and President Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shahbaz Sharif has challenged President Asif Ali Zardari to hold national referendum on judges issue and if the nation rejects restoration of pre-2nd November 2007 judiciary, he and his Quaid Nawaz Sharif would quit politics.
Addressing a news conference at his Model Town residence here on Saturday Shahbaz said "we had contested the 18th February 2008 general elections with a promise to the nation that PML-N would work for the restoration of the pre-2nd November 2007 judiciary, sacked by the dictator General Pervez Musharraf (Retd).
He said "it is irrelevant whether we are qualified, disqualified, in power or out of power, we shall never back out from our commitment to the nation and are determined to make every sacrifice for the reinstatement of the judges who stood up against the dictator. Shahbaz said "our destination is not power or be in the government, but making the dream of father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and poet of the East Allama Iqbal come true with regard to Pakistan's strong democratic institutions, independent judiciary and Islamic welfare state identity.
Shahbaz alleged that "the judgement of the three PCO judges of the Supreme Court of February 25, disqualifying Sharif brothers to hold an elective office was delivered on the instructions of Asif Ali Zardari but we are certain that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), as a party had no hand in it".
The disqualified Chief Minister said he had the support of 206 members of the provincial assembly, which is more than the required number to form the government. "Now President Zardari and Governor Punjab Taseer would use the government's discretionary funds to buy loyalties of the members", he maintained.
Shahbaz said that PML-N workers have launched a peaceful agitation against the decision of the court, however any one who has destroyed posters of PPP Chairperson Shaheed Benazir Bhutto does not belong to PML-N. Meanwhile Lahore has become the hub of the political activity and all the three stakeholders PML-N, PML-Q and PPP are making hectic efforts to get support of maximum numbers of the MPAs.
PPP leaders and former senior Minister Raja Riaz told a news conference that PPP is in contact with PML-Q and some members of PML-N to muster majority in the 371 member's house to form the PPP government.
PML-Q sources told Business Recorder that pressure is mounting on the party leadership for staying away from the Peoples Party. The PML-Q leaders like Ejazul Haqu, Saleem Saifullah, Humayun Akhtar, Mohammad Ali Durrani are advocating that they should join hands with PML-N to counter PPP's which has failed to form its government in the country's biggest province since 1977.
Comments
Comments are closed.