PML-N as strong as Himalayas: Shahbaz

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said those repeating the chorus of differences between Nawaz Sharif and him were deceiving themselves. The PML-N was as strong as the Himalayas, he said, adding those talking about any rift should consult a psychiatrist. Those with lust for power should try instead to win the hearts of the people, he remarked.

Talking to a party delegation led by Malik Hanif from Sangla Hill, he rejected the claim made by former president Asif Ali Zardari that Nawaz was secretly sending him messages for reconciliation as baseless.

Separately, the chief minister said the Punjab Police were a force of martyrs who had sacrificed their lives in the war against terrorism. He added that the Dolphin Force had to play a vital role in protecting the life and property of the people and improving the image of the Punjab Police.

Shahbaz was addressing the passing-out parade of the second batch of Dolphin Force at the Police Training College, Lahore. As many as 696 members of the Dolphin Force have completed their training and will start performing their duties in Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan and Bahawalpur. He said the Turkish National Force and the Turkish government had provided support for training the Dolphin Force, hoping that it would maintain the same standards.

Addressing the ceremony, Punjab IGP Punjab Capt (retd) Arif Nawaz said street crimes had reduced in Lahore due to the Dolphin Force and the
same would be repeated in other cities.

Also on Saturday, Shahbaz said the faith in the finality of Prophethood was unshakeable, as it was the basic part of Islam. Talking to a delegation of religious leaders, he said the Constitution had also endorsed the faith in the finality of the Prophethood. The chief minister said swift action was taken when some changes were pointed out in the oath, which was later restored to the original form.

The delegation comprised Minister of State for Religious Affairs Pir Amin-ul-Hasnat Shah, Maulana Ghulam Muhammad Sialvi, Pir Aijaz Hashmi, Maulana Dr Raghib Hussain Naeemi, Pir Syed Tahir Saeed Kazmi, Mufti Intikhab Ahmed, Pirzada Usman, Mufti Ramazan Sialvi, Mufti Haseeb Qadri, Mufti Imran Hanfi, Maulana Abdul Mustafa Hazarvi, Maulana Muhammad Ali Naqshbandi and others. Provincial ministers Rana Sanaullah and Zaeem Qadri, chief secretary, additional chief secretary home, IGP and other officials were present on the occasion.