Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday for the first time openly alleged its coalition partner, Pakistan People's Party (PPP), for not taking his party into confidence while taking important decisions, particularly launching operation in the tribal areas and the recent increase in the petroleum prices.
He said this while talking to reporters at the Islamabad International Airport before leaving for London for a week-long private visit. The former premier said that the coalition parties disappointed the masses, as they could not render the services for which the then opposition parties were voted to the power with the hope of relief and relive. But, he lamented that none of the issues was resolved so far as per aspirations of the masses.
Both the recent decisions of the government, to increase the oil prices as well as the operation launched in the tribal areas would further deteriorate the internal situation of the country and would have serious repercussions ahead, he maintained. Being the leading coalition partner, Nawaz said the PPP should take all the coalition partners into confidence prior to such major decisions, mentioning that his party did not take into confidence about the operation against the militants in the tribal areas.
All the major decisions pertaining to the very national interests should be taken by the Parliament and not by any single party, he suggested.
"The impeachment of President Musharraf and law and order issue in the tribal areas is the internal matter of Pakistan, and it does not need take external dictations to get them resolved", he added.
The PML-N has clear-cut stance about the restoration of the sacked judges and its policy would remain continue till their restoration, Nawaz said while responding to a query.
The PML-N leader said the people voted PML-N and PPP on February 18 for a drastic change, but the situation is still status quo along with day to day increasing in the oil prices, which has further multiplied the sufferings of the people. The present government, he said, did play nothing to reduce the sufferings of the masses, as they had been facing before February 18, he maintained.
Nawaz, however, said the objective of forming coalition with the PPP is to end the rule of dictatorship and it would continue till achieving the objective, as PML-N was not in favour of regaining the government by the dictatorship. The government, he said, should listen to Dr Abdul Qadir Khan and the sacked judges as they have contributed significant services to the nation.
To a question about fresh plan of the lawyers to hold another 'long march', Nawaz said that his party would be a part of the legal fraternity supporting its every effort to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary.
To an another question about the next possible President of Pakistan, he said that the people of Pakistan would elect the next president.