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Thursday March 28, 2024

We’re forgiving, others should follow suit, says Nawaz

By Muhammad Anis & Mumtaz Alvi
April 18, 2018

ISLAMABAD: “Let’s forgive and forget as we have been doing. Looking for a choice leadership will be an insult to the sanctity of the ballot,” said former prime minister and PML-N Quaid Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in a loud and clear message to his opponents. He was speaking at a seminar on “Vote Ko Izzat Do’ here on Tuesday.

Announcing a movement for upholding the sanctity of ballot, Nawaz said he was not expecting free and fair general elections in view of the discriminatory treatment being meted out to him. He said the chief election commissioner (CEC) had assured the nation of transparent elections but nobody could think of fair polls because he was being discriminated against.

“Free and fair elections will not be a reality in the prevailing circumstances in which the popular leadership is being sidelined,” he said, adding that it never happened in the country’s history that candidates of a political party were barred from contesting the Senate polls on party tickets.

He called upon the youth to play the frontline role in the movement for upholding the sanctity of ballot as they did during the freedom movement. “Unrest in the country will continue to increase if sanctity of the ballot is not upheld,” he said, adding that sanctity of the ballot was being undermined by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) that was framing baseless cases against him.

Senator Mushahid Husain Sayed, PML-N allies Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo and Mian Iftikhar Hussain of Awami National Party also spoke on the occasion. PML-N Chairman Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, Maryam Nawaz and many other party leaders were also present on the occasion.

During the speech of Nawaz Sharif and other speakers, the otherwise disciplined audience continued to raise slogans ‘Vote Ko Izzat Do’, ‘We Love Nawaz Sharif’.

Nawaz pointed out that Article 184 (3) was being used to usurp his rights, while the executive had also been paralysed and laws passed by parliament were also being done away with.

“Article 184 (3) allows the court to act to safeguard rights, but it is being used to make routine transfers and posting, usurp my right and do away with the laws passed by parliament,” he regretted.

Nawaz said none of 20 prime ministers was allowed to complete his tenure and in total they ruled for 38 years whereas the tenure of four dictators spanned over 32 years.

“Every time the judiciary accepted martial laws and dictators and also took oaths from them,” he said, adding, “The courts did not play the same active role in martial law which they played during the tenure of democratic governments.” He said dictators were allowed to carry out postmortem of Constitution, while parliament was stopped from executing legislation and the public opinion and sanctity of ballot was disgraced.

Nawaz said something unique happened when he was not only disqualified for lifetime, but was also disallowed to head the party for not receiving imaginary salary from his son. “The discriminatory behavior being meted out to a popular leader means that sanctity of vote is not being upheld,” he said observing that some puppets and groups created on basis of sectarianism and linguistic basis might be more favourite to them who never wanted to see popular leadership elected through the power of ballot. The PML-N Quaid pointed out that he was not party to the case in which he was disqualified for life whereas the court’s process itself was a party.

“It is continuation of a mindset which started with a WhatsApp call,” he said, adding that now Wajid Zia had disclosed that 40 other persons were also part of the JIT. Nawaz said there had been people in the history of Pakistan who were involved in mega corruption and questioned if his crime was so big that he was disqualified for lifetime.

“My crime is that I was elected thrice as prime minister and my name is Muhammad Nawaz Sharif,” he said, adding that the Constitution had been suspended practically. He agreed with Mehmood Khan Achakzai’s suggestion that those who were leaving the party and changing loyalties should not be taken back.

Achakzai maintained that parliament used to give indemnity to martial laws and now it would do away with lifetime disqualification of Nawaz Sharif with a stroke of pen. “We should pledge that we will not compromise with any political or general or judge for the sake of supremacy of Constitution,” he said. Achakzai also warned the anti-democracy powers to mend their ways otherwise people would be forced to come out on the roads like what happened in Turkey.

He said the judiciary and all other institutions must act within their Constitutional framework, otherwise it was the national duty of masses to stop them from crossing their framework.

Fazlur Rehman maintained that sanctity of the ballot would have to be upheld otherwise there would be anarchy and unrest in the country. “The leadership and party having power of the ballot will have the right to form government,” he said. “There are no differences with the army but confrontation starts when the army takes the responsibility of the government and jump into politics.” The JUI-F leader said they supported independence of the judiciary but when a judge crosses the norms of independence, he should take suo motu against himself.

He also rejected the impression that Nawaz Sharif ever indulged in confrontation with any institution.

He said the names of many other international personalities had also been mentioned in the Panama Papers but the same document was made the basis of political crisis in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, speaking at the seminar, political leaders called for respecting the ballot insisting that it will not only strengthen democracy, but also effectively help fight Pakistan’s case in the comity of nations. A galaxy of politicians from diverse backgrounds attended the seminar. The event was attended, among others, by diplomats, media persons and civil society representatives.

Awami National party’s General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain delivered a sweet-sour speech and while praising ex-premier Nawaz Sharif for his narrative of sanctity of vote, he also sought a pledge from politicians not to give tickets to the turncoats. “If we keep on giving so much importance to saleable commodities, then how will the sanctity of ballot or vote be ensured,” he emphasised amid thunderous clapping from the audience.

The ANP leader, who had lost his only son at the hands of terrorists, said those sitting in the legislature should also be mindful of the fact how an MPA, MNA and even a minister would sell himself.

“It means, a lawmaker not only sells himself, but also those who vote for him, including female voters, as he takes vote from both males and females,” he asserted. Iftikhar contended that when a politician would be mindful of the vote sanctity, then others would also follow suit. He said Pakistan’s case could only be fought in the international arena through parliament and only politicians could do it.

Continuing, he said when parliament was not respected, then how other institutions would be respected.

“If the country’s prestige is to be enhanced, then respect of parliamentarians and their representation of people will also be acknowledged.” He said they thought a prime minister from the Punjab could not be sent home, but this happened and now things had gone beyond the point of sanctity of vote, as prime minister from the Punjab was disqualified for which a script was written already. “This is unfortunate and an alarm bell for the country.”

“When a politician approaches the court against a prime minister, which hurts the parliament’s sanctity, then how can anyone else be blamed? How can the right of resolution of issues be given to any another institution in the presence of parliament?”

At the same time, he contended that the court should also engage in such judgments, which render its position controversial. “All should respect the institutions. “Mian sahib, you are being pushed to the wall; this will further enhance your respect and you have been punished so that you could be cut off from the masses, but the masses have declined to accept that,” he said. He suggested Nawaz to form a committee, which should contact all political parties and if they don’t respond, he should contact them repeatedly for pushing those to punishment who trample the ballot so that they stop doing so.

Referring to the ongoing drive for Pakhtuns’ rights, Iftikhar said all the demands made by Pakhtoon Tahafuz Movement (PTM) were well within the Constitution. He said Naqeebullah was murdered and it was announced that it was a policy to kill such people through target killing. He claimed that Rao Anwar was not alone but there was a network behind him. “How could he given a way to run away?” he asked.

“How dare he write a letter to the Supreme Court and write again while a prime minister had to appear before courts,” he said amid chants of shame, shame. Iftikhar noted that then Rao appeared before the court and with protocol, which clearly meant that he was not alone. “Not only Rao Anwar, but also this network should be exposed and punished,” he demanded.

PML-N senator and convener of the seminar Mushahid Hussain Syed, heaping praise on Nawaz, said he had made a landmark decision to conduct nuclear explosions for the national security and then it also went to his credit that he signed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which would guarantee economic security of Pakistan.

“Following the agreement in Beijing, 52 agreements were signed between the two nations and this is vote of confidence from China for Pakistan,” he pointed out. Senator Mushahid termed military operation Zarb-e-Azb for establishment of peace across Pakistan and complete peace in Karachi as the fruit of democracy, adding that Pakistan would strengthen only through democracy. “The biggest issue and focus now is holding of free, fair and transparent election, whereas in the past, there have been attempts of controlled democracy here. But now people are more democratic and we salute the media for its role,” he said. He strongly opposed any kind of curbs on Geo, Dawn or any other channel, asserting these would be wrong and illegal and condemnable.

He also talked about the Lahore High Court’s order, gagging Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz and said this was depriving a political leader of his right guaranteed to him under Article 19 of the Constitution. “The masses will not accept such pre-censorship,” he made it clear. Mushahid advocated listening to what the people of PTM were saying.

“They should be engaged. If we can talk to India, the TTP and Labbaik Tehreek, then why not talk to them? They are the youth of Pakistan. There should be talk on missing persons, IDPs,” he contended.

In an era of pluralism, he emphasized, a democratic Pakistan should move forward and a single person, or party or a government on its own or an institution could not solve its issues. “These are to be resolved under the Constitution and through a democratic process through parliament,” he said.

Earlier, he said April 17, 2018 marked the 25th anniversary of a very historic day when Prime Minister Nawaz delivered a landmark speech at a time of a huge tussle going on between the then establishment and Parliament.

Mushahid noted then on July 28 last year, Nawaz was sent home on the basis of Iqama and then as party president.

“Thanks, his landmark decisions on opting for CPEC and going nuclear were not declared null and void,” he smilingly said. He regretted that never before such a judgment was delivered to disqualify a politician for life and said the narrative given by Nawaz had become the national narrative today.

“While in Sindh, People’s Movement leader Ayaz Palijo told me that presently Nawaz Sharif is the most popular leader among the people of Sindh. And when I asked for reasons, he said because, one, injustice has been meted out to Nawaz, two he has taken a stand with courage to ensure sanctity of the Constitution and the ballot and protection of democratic process,” Mushahid noted.

The PML-N Senator conceded that some mistakes were made in the past like after the 1971 election the sanctity of ballot was not observed and the largest party was not given what was due to it and then Pakistan had to face its consequences.

Then he recalled that the Supreme Court had banned the National Awami Party in 1975 and Khan Abdul Wali Khan was given the tag of a traitor, but this was neither accepted by the masses nor by the history.

Again in 1979, the apex court awarded death penalty to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and he was executed and it was seen as a judicial murder, he said.

“An elected prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, decided to launch the nuclear programme and then another democratically elected premier took the most crucial national security decision to make Pakistan a nuclear state. There was no pressure from any side, as all the services chiefs were consulted, one of them called for exploding devices, the other opposed him while the third one remained neutral,” he recalled.

He said the then US president Bill Clinton had asked Pakistan not to go nuclear and offered Nawaz government $5 billion.

“Had Pakistan not become a nuclear power, we might have met the fate of Iraq, Libya and Syria,” Mushahid said.

National Party President Senator, Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo cautioned that Pakistan stood at the crossroads of history adding that unfortunately a few people could comprehend the gravity of situation that the country is moving towards almost complete isolation globally.

“We lost thousands of civilians and soldiers at the hands of terrorism but still none is prepared to listen to our narrative and believe in us,” he lamented.

He pointed out that the Pakistani society was totally polarized and in the given situation an elected prime minister was disqualified on the basis of having an Iqama, entailing chants of shame, shame from the audience.

“We can’t afford such things in such scenarios,” he maintained.

Senator Bizenjo came down hard on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and alleged that it had polluted politics and polarised the society further.

He criticized the role of the media and said people were saying that the judiciary could not find anyone else than Nawaz.

He claimed that when the chief justice of Pakistan once asked Siddiqul Farooq, who had appointed him as the ETPB chairman, he replied that the one, who had appointed him as law secretary.

“We respect the judiciary, but it should also respect itself. There should be no apprehensions in the military, the judiciary and Parliament. All of us must decide to build Pakistan, as Germany had decided after facing defeat in the World War,” he said.

However, he insisted that political parties and the civil society will have to lead.

Representing the lawyers, Yasin Azad said 200 million people of Pakistan would have to decide as to who should be their representative.

“There should be a strategy to deal with the forces, working against the system,” he said. Civil society activist Gul Bokhari said the movement launched by Nawaz had been extremely successful and all communities were looking towards him as a national leader.