Never sought anything from PPP and won’t do so in future: Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday made it clear that he had never sought anything from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and he had no intention to demand anything from it. Nawaz Sharif stated that he respectfully bid adieu to Asif Ali Zardari, did not victimise political opponents and even faced the sit-in with patience.

Reiterating the resolve to preserve the sanctity of vote, he pleaded to avoid confrontation among the state institutions, terming it against the national interest.“I am not in favour of confrontation among the state institutions. It is the collective responsibility of everybody to avoid such a confrontation,” he said in an interview with BBC, telecast by a private news channel.

When asked if he was going to confront, Nawaz Sharif said, “There should not be clash of interest. All institutions should dispense duties within the ambit of Constitution and parliament should monitor and ensure it. Sanctity of vote must be ensured and people’s mandate should not be trampled down.”

He dispelled the impression that he had been at odds with the establishment and said he had ideal relations with the military leadership except a few. “I believe in the supremacy of the Constitution and did not deviate from it. I am also a strong believer in the rule of law,” he said.

In support of his argument, he mentioned Pervez Musharraf’s martial law and said a few people moved for this action as the remaining establishment did not even know about it. “I do not agree with anything unconstitutional. Our policies should be in right direction and this can only be ensured when there is sanctity of vote," he said.

Answering a question whether he was going to opt for politics of resistance, Nawaz Sharif said, he would struggle to ensure sanctity of vote. He said the nation has started realising it and he is in no dearth of people who support this ideology.

"This is matter of a cause and ideology. My struggle would not be for power because it is not a bed of roses. But I owe to nation for sanctity of vote," he added. He mentioned the sit-in by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri in front of the Parliament House and attack on state institutions and said the nation also witnessed this unfortunate moment.

"When dharna ended, Panama surfaced and all this happened when the country was leaping forward to destination of progress, CPEC was executed in full swing, infrastructure was being developed and loadshedding was diminishing," he said. 

He also mentioned Karachi-Peshawar Motorway and rapid growth and questioned who was responsible for the setback. "These two persons had been chasing me from day one only with the grudge as to why Nawaz Sharif had secured so many votes. It was not a sincere service to democracy rather it was a conspiracy against democracy," he said.

Nawaz Sharif said when the first petition was filed in the Supreme Court, it was returned declaring it frivolous. But, he said, it was later admitted, a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was constituted and he and his family faced the case for four months. "Everybody knows about WhatsApp call and the JIT members. But me, Shahbaz, my sons and daughter appeared before the JIT. We were interrogated about family business of three generations since 1972," he said.

The former premier said no charge of corruption, kickbacks and siphoning of money from national exchequer was proved against him with regards to his tenures as prime minister and chief minister. "Had I been involved in corruption, I would have been regretful before the nation,” he said. 

Nawaz Sharif said he had been witnessing happenings in the country since its inception. "Had the sanctity of vote been respected, Pakistan would have been 10 times stronger than to disintegrate," he said. Nawaz said those countries do not prosper where sanctity of vote is not ensured. 

When asked about Imran Khan, he said everybody knows about his motives and style of politics. "We have an ideology of rules of law and supremacy of the Constitution and I did nothing against this ideology. I even did not violate Charter of Democracy. It was violated with issuance of an NRO," he said. 

Nawaz said one can see the charges that provided basis for his disqualification. "Now it is right of the nation either to agree or disagree with it and you have seen the response of the nation," he said. 

Meanwhile, the PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said the PML-N will not get relief from the PPP. 

Addressing a joint press conference in Lahore on Thursday, they said that the PPP has always supported democracy and Parliament.  Bilawal said the party would only practise ideological politics. He said that only the right wing politics was going on which was not good for the country, and it had been decided that the PPP would follow its manifesto and ideology.

To a question, he said he had already started his politics in the country and after Chiniot, now he would address a public gathering in Mansehra and then in Attock. "I will go with the message of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Shaheed and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed to each and every corner of the country," he added.

To another question about accountability, Bilawal claimed that accountability laws were made for the PPP and it was always ready to face them. He said accountability should be done across-the-board.

To a query about new parties, he said that according to the National Action Plan, no banned or defunct party could work under any new name. Responding to a question about Imran Khan, Bilawal said that he did not know about Imran Khan's politics. 

Asif Ali Zardari said there was no danger to democracy and it was getting stronger gradually and there was no other system better than democracy for the country. He added that his party was with democracy and did not support any person or party. He said nothing was ultimate in politics, and political forces could not be eliminated through any negative tactics.

To a question about references against former Nawaz Sharif, Zardari said he could comment on them after consulting his lawyers. "We are sitting here for politics and it will make a difference, as the workers and party-lovers will come here and the party will be strengthened," he said. Zardari said political activities had been increased after his arrival in the city. To a question, he said that every decision of the party was made after discussion within the party and consultation with the party workers.