Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Monday said people have given us a mandate and we will overcome the present situation administratively and politically. In an interview to a private TV channel, Shahbaz Sharif said that he has offered dialogues to Imran Khan for more than once and he himself is ready to go to his house.
Prime Minister has also given a mandate to Amir Jamaat-i-Islami Siraj ul Haq to hold dialogue with Imran Khan so that political issues could be resolved through negotiations, he said. The Chief Minister once again invited Imran Khan in the name of Pakistan and Pakistani people to come forward, hold dialogue seriously and have pity on the nation. He said that political issues should be resolved through parliament and Imran Khan should become the head of electoral reforms committee. He said that he is still ready to go to Imran Khan for saving the country from anarchy and destruction.
He said that the securities of candidates of the PTI were forfeited in 55 constituencies of Punjab. He said that the government has no threat from long march and slogans of revolution; however, it is causing economic loss to the country. The Chief Minister said that if the country has any threat, Qadri and Imran Khan will be responsible. He said that our forefathers migrated with dreams for such a country after giving numerous sacrifices where all have equal opportunities of progress, justice will prevail, no one lead a slavish life and will be free economically but unfortunately these dreams are still incomplete and we have lost half of our country.
Shahbaz said that today when the nation is celebrating its Independence Day, some elements are bent upon destroying the country and creating hindrance in its development and prosperity. He said that Pak army is carrying out a successful operation against terrorists. Is this time of dividing the nation or unity and consensus, he questioned. He said that the entire nation is praying for the success of the operation and creating lawlessness and the agenda of sit-in in this situation is tantamount to disrupting unity. The Chief Minister said that the long march aimed at creating lawlessness and anarchy is to push the country into darkness, unemployment, poverty and extremism. He said that armed forces are fighting the war of survival of the country. He said that the 1965 War had different objectives and the war against terrorists is for our survival. Shahbaz Sharif said that thousands of people of North Waziristan have been forced to leave their homes. It would have been better if Imran Khan had shared the problems of IDPs instead of indulging in protest, he added.
Shahbaz Sharif said that he has been serving the people of the province for the last six years and the process of public service will continue in future as well. Replying to a question, Shahbaz Sharif said that the matter of General Musharraf is sub judice and whatever decision the court will make, the Prime Minister will decide after considering the decision of the court. He said that the restoration of judiciary was the demand of the entire nation and the government of that time did not fulfil the promise of the restoration of judiciary. He said that civil society, lawyers, political parties and all segments of the society played their fullest role for the restoration of judiciary. He said that the nation knows who is right and who is wrong, who is speaking truth and who is telling a lie.
He said Imran Khan is in favour of dialogue with the murderers of 40 thousand Pakistanis but refusing to negotiate with the democratically elected government for resolving political issues which is a proof of his duplicity. He said that he is ready to go to Imran Khan in the interest of progress and prosperity of the country and realising the dream of changing the destiny of poor but it is lamentable that Imran and Qadri have joined hands for such a revolution and long march which is aimed at creating anarchy and pushing the country towards darkness.
He said that there is no justification for long march and sit-in at a time when the armed forces of the country are fighting against terrorism for making Pakistan a haven of peace. He said that what kind of revolution can be brought by a person who is ordering his supporters to kill anyone who returns without revolution and attack the houses of police officials who were on duty in the form of groups. He said that such a revolutionary is a blot on the revolution and is conspiring to create chaos and lawlessness in the country. He said that thieves and dacoits are also hiding behind the so-called revolutionary who misappropriated 250 billion rupees of the public money. He said that Chaudhary Brothers who got their loans written off on political basis and committed a robbery of 70 billion rupees on Punjab Bank are talking about a revolution but the people know their real faces. The Chief Minister said that he is ready to resign if writing off of a loan or its interest of even a single is proved against him or Sharif family. He made an appeal to the nation to reject long march as the nation is moving towards progress and prosperity under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
The Chief Minister said that Imran and Qadri who supported Musharraf and his referendum during the era of dictatorship are now again trying to undermine democratic system. He said that Pakistan Muslim League-N and Peoples Party have rendered innumerable sacrifices for the restoration of democracy and strengthening of democratic system. He said that he is deeply grieved at the tragic incident of Model Town and has all sympathies with the affected families. He said that demands of justice have been fulfilled in this case and justice will be provided at any cost. He said that he removed concerned police officers and his political colleagues from their posts after the incident so that they could not influence the process of justice. He said that he got the names of the sons of Tahirul Qadri withdrawn from the FIR. He said that no head of the government took such measures so quickly in the cases of this nature. He said that he will immediately resign if it is proved in a transparent investigation that he directly or indirectly issued orders for firing. Shahbaz Sharif said that protection of life and property of the citizens is the responsibility of the government and all out measures are being taken for this purpose. He said that containers have to be placed for the protection of life and property of the citizens and he once again apologises for the inconvenience and the problems faced by the people. But, he said, those elements are responsible for the placement of containers who want to spread chaos and anarchy in the country. He said that it was due to instigation of the so-called revolutionary that police was subjected to violence from Bhakkar to Lahore as a result of which a police official was martyred while several were injured but police displayed patience and restraint. He said that had the police not made proper arrangements, these so-called revolutionaries would have crossed all limits. Shahbaz Sharif said that those who are raising slogans of long march and revolution are trying to hinder the process of development of the country. He said that the government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is working day and night to resolve energy crisis and put the country on the road to progress and prosperity. He said that the PML-N has brought about the revolution of changing the destiny of the poor, promotion of education, equitable distribution of wealth and provision of health, transport and other basic facilities to the masses.
He said that safe, comfortable and economical transport facilities have been provided to the masses through metro bus system. He said that speedy and modern transport system is essential for economic and social development. He said that Commissioner Rawalpindi is the head of Rawalpindi-Islamabad metro bus project. He said that poor people have as much right over resources as the elites.
The Chief Minister said that the scope of Daanish schools will be expanded to backward districts so that trends of extremism could be eliminated. He said that a few days ago Pak-China working group gave approval to 10,500 megawatt electricity projects in Beijing and these projects will be completed in 2017-18 with an investment of 15 billion dollars. He said that the country will get rid of energy crisis through completion of these projects but protesting elements want that China should not make investment in energy projects and its investors should flee back and the country and the nation remain in darkness. Shahbaz Sharif said that the desire of such elements will never be fulfilled and the country will be brought out of darkness. He said, "God forbid, if Chinese investors left Pakistan and they did not make investment in energy sector due to politics of protest, then Qadri and Imran Khan will be responsible.