PML-Nawaz observes black day

The NWFP Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) on Thursday observed black day to condemn the military take-over and overthrowing the democratic elected government of Nawaz Sharif on October 12, 1999. In this connection, the Muslim Students Federation staged a protest demonstration in front of Peshawar Press Club.
They were carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the military government. They were also chanting slogans against President General Pervez Musharraf and his policies.
PML-N provincial President and former chief minister Pir Sabir Shah along with other members of the cabinet also joined the protest demo. Similar protest demonstration has also been reportedly taken over in different districts of the Frontier province.
Speaking to the newsmen, Pir Sabir Shah said that October 12 was the blackest day in the history of Pakistan, when a military general overthrown a democratically elected government, enjoying two-third majority in the parliament.
Criticising the military take over, the former chief minister said it was very unfortunate that five military dictators had ruled the country in the short history of 50 years giving irreparable damage to Pakistan. However, he said the damage given by the present military government to the country had no precedent in the history of Pakistan.
The present military government, Pir Sabir Shah said, had rocked the very foundations of the country putting the very integrity of the country at stake. They had withdrawn from 50-year old stand of the country on Kashmir leaving the Muslims of Indian held Kashmir at the mercy of 0.8 million Indian security forces and declared freedom fighters as terrorists, he added.
The PML-N leader said the rulers had also created difficulties for the country at Western borders through ousting a Pakistan-friendly government and installing an enemy government. It has also joined an aimless war with patriotic tribesmen and strengthens the agenda of the enemies of Pakistan.
In Balochistan, he said the government intentionally created a situation through killing of senior politician Nawab Mohammad Akbar Khan Bugti to use that part of the country as a launching pad against Iran.
The situation created by the rulers, he said, had proved that lack the capabilities of running the affairs of the country, adding all-important decisions had been made by an individual, which was meeting big damages to the country. Furthermore, he said those decisions had also been made under pressure from United States and India.
He also criticised President Musharraf for disgracing the national heroes in his book irrespective of the fact that the nuclear scientists of India had been elevated to the coveted position of the President of their country.