ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi Wednesday revealed thatthe PML-N was not supportive of Sardar Sanaullah Zehri’s decision to resignas chief minister of Balochistan. “MPAs told us about the pressure ofintelligence agencies on them,” he added.
In an interview with Captial TV, the PM said he had asked the interiorminister on whose orders FC personnel were deployed at the assembly.
Responding to a question about no-trust move against former Balochistanchief minister, Abbasi said he expected the members of the provincialassembly that had tabled the motion not to create unrest in the provinceand play their role for strengthening of the democratic system.
He said he had visited the province thrice in the past but no one hadexpressed their grievances against the former chief minister. He said nowit was members of provincial assembly’s responsibility to take thedemocratic process forward, adding he had directed the interior minister toprobe the pressure that was exerted on the elected members after somemembers had raised their voices.
However, he maintained that such moves were not good for the democraticsystem. Throughout his political career, Abassi said he had witnessed suchthings which could only harm democracy.
He said the central leadership of the PML-N had not endorsed the no-trustmove, but the former chief minister considered it appropriate to step down.About nomination of new member to head the provincial government, he saidit was up to the assembly members, whether they would work for democracy orcreate unrest.
Abbasi called upon all parties to demonstrate their sincerity to Pakistanby adhering to the democratic system as holding of sit-ins and sowing seedsof unrest in the society would only undermine the country.
Abbasi said 2018 was the election year and all the parties joining hands inAll Parties Conference (APC) of PAT should concentrate on the nextelections to be held in July.
Leadership in the political parties should demonstrate with their acts andcharacter that they were sincere with the country as sit-ins were nosolution to the issues. But from their attitude, he said, it appeared thatthe PML-N was the sole political party striving to ensure holding ofgeneral elections on time and regretted that other parties in the APC werenot serious.
He said he was at a total loss what kind of objectives they wanted toachieve with such APC and holding of dharnas. Instead, they should go topublic and tell them what they had delivered in the provinces where theywere at the helm of affairs, he said. He said it was his decision thatended the dharna as it was causing unbearable public sufferings.
About Model Town incident, he said PAT objectives were to create unrest andanarchy in the country while ignoring the basic facts. If they had anycase, they should take them to courts which were all functional, he said,regretting unfortunately, facts over the issue were not accepted as theparties wanted politics on the dead people.
He categorically stated that the government would complete its term so thatthe democratic system could move forward. There were speculations aboutconspiracies during the no-confidence motion in Balochistan, but the issueof concern was whether it would serve the nation, country and democracy, headded.
The prime minister said whenever the democratic system was suppressed; ithad damaged the country and cited Musharraf’s steps towards Balochistan.
He said the JUI-F was PML-N’s allied party in the parliament, but was onthe opposition benches in the province. He dismissed linking of JUI-Fsupport to Fata reforms issue by saying the government wanted to resolve itwith complete consensus by taking all the stakeholders on board.
He said FATA was being run on the centuries-old administrative system whichrequired to be replaced with consensus and informed that it would standresolved soon.
About Nawaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia, he said it was his privatevisit and rejected speculations making rounds in the media. He said he didnot endorse such standard of politics as Nawaz had close ties with theSaudi Royal Family.
He said Nawaz is the PML-N leader and president of country’s largest party.They had been in the business of politics and struggling for the democraticsystem when others were sitting in the lap of martial law regime.
He said there were no two opinions about Nawaz’s view over Panama verdictwhich affected the country’s economy. The unrest was created in the countryby staging sit-ins and filing of frivolous petitions in the courts.Whatever Nawaz had said, he did it as a responsible man, he added. Abbasisaid the people should recall history. “Who did NRO! On the other hand,Musharraf took a decision on a single telephone call which put the countryin turmoil for a long time,” he added. – APP