Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Mian Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday aimed his guns towards President Asif Ali Zardari after disqualification and urged the nation to stand up for supremacy of law and independence of judiciary.
"This is a gift for President Asif Ali Zardari on his return from China," he said at a news conference at his Raiwind residence after chairing a meeting of his party leaders.
Nawaz disclosed that President Asif Ali Zardari invited Mian Shahbaz Sharif at a lunch at Aiwan-e-Sadr about one-and-a-half months back and offered him a 'business deal' on the issue of judiciary. He said: "President Asif Ali Zardari offered that Nawaz and Shahbaz would be declared eligible by the Supreme Court, if the PML-N helped the PPP government in giving extension to Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar after his retirement."
He further said that earlier an offer was made to PML-N through the "channel of Chief Justice" for giving up the struggle aimed at restoration of judiciary as on November 2, 2007 position. He urged the nation to judge the validity of the verdict, as whether it is the decision given by judiciary or President Asif Ali Zardari.
Nawaz further said: "It's not a judicial decision, as whole nation is aware from where the decision has arrived." He said: "We made sincere efforts not to reach point of no return. President Zardari not only deviated from the written agreements but also declined to restore judges after the resignation of Pervez Musharraf."
Nawaz said that National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) is main hurdle in the struggle aimed at completion of national agenda. "It was NRO that judges are not being restored, as there was fear that the NRO may not be annulled," he added. He said that plundered money is the country's wealth and needs to be deposited in national exchequer. He said that Musharraf had withdrawn the cases registered against Asif Ali Zardari in Switzerland. These cases cannot be withdrawn, he said, adding that the country is paying price of NRO.
Nawaz said that Justice Dogar removed the restriction of BA degree for contesting election within a day to pave the way for election of Asif Ali Zardari as President. He said that people of Pakistan have rejected the decision of the apex court and now it is in the court of people. He said that people have shown severe reaction over this decision and asked Asif Ali Zardari to hold referendum to judge the public support to them.
He said that this decision would be reversed sooner or later, as people of Pakistan have rejected it. The decision will overturn, if not before next election but after the polls, he added. He vowed to continue struggle for bringing democratic revolution, rule of law and restoration of judiciary as of November 2, 2007 position.
Answering a question, Nawaz said that he considers Asif Ali Zardari responsible for their disqualification instead of the PPP. He said that Asif Zardari wanted indemnity of Pervez Musharraf's acts but PML-N declined and parted its ways. He praised Shahbaz Sharif for whole-heartedly serving the people of the province and proving himself as good administrator.