Time has come to take 'bold, unpopular' decisions: Shujaat

President Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Tuesday said time has come to take "bold and unpopular" steps in larger national interest.
Talking to newsmen at the airport on his return from Saudi Arabia, he said construction of dams should be seen in the larger interest of the nation and should not be opposed for petty personal gains.
"The very idea that supporting the construction of Kala Bagh Dam would damage us in the elections and we may not become MNAs or MPAs is nothing but personal ambition and greed," he said. The national interests should prevail over personal ambitions, Shujaat added. He said the only consideration should be the benefit of nation and larger interests of its people.
He said those who take decisions against the interest of the country and its people to prolong their power, are not the well wishers of the country, and have no right to deceive the nation for selfish ends.
He said President Pervez Musharraf has unequivocally stated that he was ready to provide constitutional guarantees on the matter and asked the people not to be misled by petty political players.
To a question he said it was wrong to think in terms of belonging to those who speak Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, Pashto and Balochi languages, instead everyone should be proud to speak with one voice for matters dealing with larger national issues.
He said, "keeping aside our self interests and considerations we should take decisions which would usher in an era of prosperity and the coming generations would remember us." He said, "it does not matter even if we do not win elections, for the sake of Pakistan."
To a question, Chaudhry Shujaat said "we should go to the people and tell them the realities regarding the decisions which would benefit the people in the times to come.
When asked whether the construction of Kala Bagh Dam would damage Punjab he said, he has told the Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi that being a big brother even if Punjab suffers any loss, it should take the decision as big brothers always sacrifices for younger brothers.