All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) on Tuesday announced to hold a public rally against the key issues including inflation and deteriorating law and order in the country on November 16 in Hyderabad, with one in Karachi to follow soon after. Speaking at a joint press conference held at a local hotel, central vice-presidents of APML, Brigadier (Retd) Haris Nawaz and Dr Ghulam Mujtaba criticised the "Zardari-Gilani" government for the country's fragile economy and soaring inflation.
They also announced former President General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf would return to Pakistan on already announced date of March 23, 2012, which could happen even much before but not afterwards. They also gave a tip of their party's foreign policy, saying Pakistan's relations with the US are of a significant nature which "must not dismantle". They proposed that Pakistan army should replace the Nato forces in Afghanistan to take control of the security of the war-torn country after the US exit.
Showing worries, they said India should not be allowed to perpetuate its influence in Afghanistan as it has no justification to engage with a country which shared cultural "affinity" and religious "acumen" with Pakistan. They warned the severing of ties would neither benefit Pakistan nor the US.
They said Pukhtuns are being killed on either side of the border and urged Pakistan should amplify its role in bringing back normality and progress in Afghanistan, adding no matter what the Karzai government's nature of ties with India. They also termed the President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai a "puppet" ruler.
Lauding the General (R)Pervez Musharraf's government, they said it under the former president's rule the global community had reposed a great trust in Pakistan, which enabled the country to attract foreign investment to boost the economy. During Musharraf's government, the rupee value was Rs 58 against the dollar, which now in the present political government had touched Rs 88-90, showing a dismal existence of the country's economy, they said, adding that such a big decline in the country's currency in the global exchange market had badly hit Pakistan reputation internationally.
They said the rise in the law and order deterioration has badly disturbed the society's peace as there the uncertainties continued to loom large over the country's economic and political atmospheres. They said Pakistan could only be protected through a better economic performance. Citing transparency international's report about Pakistan, they said it has laid the country in its index of corrupt country below Somali and criticised the government for its poor governance and ill policies leading to the economy's fragility.
They said PML-N and Imran Khan staged a successful show of public gathering, respectively, in Lahore and MQM in Karachi, adding the APML was now also in the country's political arena to take to street a rally in Hyderabad on November 16 to mobilise the public to know their views about their party's political outline. They also vowed to protect the General Retd Musharraf's political and otherwise interests in the next government.
However, they were of the confirmed view that public gathering has never been a solution to the problems which the common men entangled on a daily basis, despite announcing their party's rally on November 16 to bring key issues to the limelight. They said media should play its role in mobilising the 70 percent of white-colour citizens to polls to ensure the getting in of a right person to serve the country in a better way. They said they were in the course of organising their party.
Leaving doors open, they said whatever party was willing to join the APML would be welcomed; however, they ruled out making a coalition with any specific political group during the next general elections. They said the global community is shunning reposing trust in Pakistan for "Zardari and Gilani" reputation whereas Pervez Musharraf has commanded great respect world-wide and his government's policies have successfully invited the foreign investments in the country. They attributed the spread of electronic and print media in the country to the General Musharraf's media policy.
They said Pervez Musharraf was the only leader to salvage Pakistan's global interest and its economy from a total collapse, as he had a wider reputation amongst the global community. Outlining the APML's political agenda, they said their party would first aim at eradication of corruption and introduce a policy to ensure good governance in the country. They said if Rs 12 billion, which one way or the other had continued to go into corruption every year, were saved could change the country's economic outlook.
They said printing of currency notes was not a solution rather it would lead to destruction of the country's economy, besides wanting the bringing back of billion dollars back from the Swiss Banks to the national exchequer. They said the APML wanted an independent and sovereign Pakistan. They also criticised President of PML-Q, Choudhry Shujaat and Choudhry Perviaz Elahi for supporting President Zardari, who were once the key political partner of General Musharraf.