Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader and former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal Friday said that his party cannot remain a silent spectator to PPP-led coalition government policies that are leading the country to ruination besides creating manifold problems for the countrymen.
Talking to Business Recorder, Ahsan Iqbal said massive corruption, unprecedented price hike and rising unemployment had made it virtually impossible for the common man to make both ends meet. "Corruption and price hike have crossed all limits while people are being exposed everyday to widespread neglect, incompetence and rampant corruption," he said, adding that "PML-N being the opposition is mandated to play its democratic role in highlighting the failures of the government and to suggest suitable remedies."
When asked about recent telephonic contacts between his party Quaid and President Asif Ali Zardari as well as Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, the PML-N leader said: "Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif had written a letter to PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and proposed some initiatives and measures for combating corruption and checking the menace of inflation with full sincerity. Unless there is a prompt and sincere response from the PPP-led coalition government, PML-N will not hesitate to take all necessary measures it deems fit not only within the parliament but also outside to ensure good governance and people-friendly policies." He added that basic obligation of the government is to evolve and spearhead a national strategy to fight inflation and corruption besides ensuring good governance.
When asked about the demand of winding up businesses by politicians at the helm of affairs, Ahsan said that PML-N had clear stance that there must be no conflict of interests. "PML-N leaders Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif and Mian Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif had already cut off their links from their family business," he said.
Regarding party elections, Ahsan said that PML-N leadership is determined to hold elections within party ranks from top to bottom at the earliest. "The re-organisation process within PML-N is already under way and hopefully the party elections with the PML-N would be completed in next 2-3 months. To another query, the PML-N leader said that his party is waging a just struggle for the country as well as its people. He said: "We want to create such a society free from all evils. The party through its economic reform agenda can put the country on road to progress and prosperity."