Why refused $5b if aim was to loot, plunder: Nawaz

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif has said it was an elected prime minister of Pakistan who launched the nuclear programme and it was an elected premier who made the country a nuclear power.

Had there been a dictator in power at that time, he would have rolled back (the nuclear programme) on a single phone call from thousands of miles away. He was addressing a public gathering at the Alhamra Hall on the 20th commemoration of nuclear explosions by Pakistan, called Yaum-e-Takbeer.Nawaz said had he been driven by greed for money, he would have accepted the $5 billion, offered by US President Bill Clinton for not conducting the nuclear tests. Had he been indifferent to the interests of the country, had he been corrupt, had he not been patriotic, he would have accepted that money after the US president called him for five times and made the offer, he added.

Nawaz said he told President Clinton that he had misread the level of integrity of Pakistan, which could not be sold out. He said his decision checked the condescending tone of India and earned a position of equality and respect for Pakistan. As a result of that decision, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee came all the way to Pakistan.

This, he said, was done by an elected prime minister, and not a martial law administrator or a dictator. Nawaz said it would be unfair we don’t give credit where it’s due, and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto deserves the credit for being the pioneer of the project, who too was an elected prime minister.

A number of people in the decision making committee didn’t want to go ahead with the tests because they feared sanctions. Nawaz said that the first person he consulted was Senator Mushahid Hussain, while they were in Kazakhstan, and “Mushahid Hussain endorsed my conviction of going ahead with the nuclear tests”.

The PML-N Quaid said that those 33 years of relationship with the people of the country were his most prized treasure and he took pride in. On the 20th anniversary of Pakistan becoming a nuclear power, it was his 75th appearance before the court, where Maryam stood in the dock for four hours. “We need to ponder over what exactly is going on. Had there been a single case of corruption against me, I wouldn’t have dared stand in front of my people,” Nawaz said, adding that he was ousted because he did not take salary from his son.

Nawaz commended the hard work of the brave and industrious men who made the testing tunnel within days, which was a task of months. Nawaz said when he called the US president, he acknowledged and respected Pakistan’s decision, and later on helped Pakistan out over the Kargil issue as well. The PML-N Quaid said that this is the power of political and democratic diplomacy, through which Pakistan became a nuclear power.

Nawaz said those who plunged the country into darkness need to be held answerable. He said that had there been consistent and smooth transition of democratic governments since 1991, Pakistan would have been among world’s super powers. He urged the people to vote for the integrity of vote and the supremacy of civilians by electing the PML-N candidates in the 2018 elections.

Earlier, addressing the ceremony, Maryam Nawaz said that the scrutiny of Nawaz Sharif assets has been going on for the past three decades, but he did not bow down to any of those pressure tactics and did not compromise on the interests of people.

The enemies of Nawaz could only burn in their own agony all they want, but they could not change the fact that God chose Nawaz Sharif to be the leader to make Pakistan a nuclear power. She urged the charged audience to vote for PML-N if they want a prosperous, progressive and economically booming Pakistan.

She said it would have been an easy way out for Nawaz if he would have bowed down and left the country or backed down from his stance of civilian supremacy. But he and his daughter decided to fight for the right of the civilians to stand up, he chose to fight for the people’s right. It is now the duty of the people to play their role by standing by Nawaz and burry the politics of turncoats forever.

Senator Mushahid Hussain, while addressing the ceremony, said it was the most difficult, important, brave and patriotic decision, which only Nawaz could have taken; and he took it despite international pressures, threats, and offers of huge amount of money.

Mushahid revealed that out of three chiefs of Pakistan’s Naval, Air and Land forces, one was against carrying out nuclear tests, one was in favour while one remained neutral. The most crucial decision was then entirely left with Nawaz, who took a brave and historic step and made Pakistan a nuclear state.

Saad Rafique said that the day is of mammoth importance not just for Pakistan but for the entire Muslim Ummah. Had there been a martial law dictator in the country at that time, it would have never gone in Pakistan’s favour. Because we have seen dictators bowing down to a single phone call from abroad, he said. He said that the PML-N is the last frontier of ideological defence of Pakistan. He appealed to the people to play their part by voting for those who stand by Nawaz Sharif and reject those who squandered off because they were too cowardly to take a stand for the supremacy of civilian and the sanctity of the vote.

PML-N Lahore President Pervaiz Malik said that Nawaz Sharif had always taken decisions which were in the best interest of people and the country. He said it is this quality which has created an unalterable love among the people for him who see him as their leader.

Meanwhile, an untoward incident took place while Maryam was about to address the participants. A party activist, who attempted to shake the PML-N supremo’s hand, was roughed up by members of his security detail.

The man rushed towards Nawaz and extended his hand for a hand-shake with his leader. However, the security personnel quickly got hold of him and gave him a good thrashing. Maryam Nawaz called the security men not to beat the man but in vain. Later, Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique rescued the man and gave him a hug. Nawaz Sharif also called him later on and embraced him. Maryam denounced the behaviour of the security men, stating that “people have a special relationship with their quaid [leader]”.

Faisal Kamal Pasha adds from Islamabad: Nawaz Sharif said while talking to reporters inside the Accountability Court that the PML-N’s narrative will prevail as there is no other option for this country to progress.

He said that whatever has been made or developed in this country is by the PML-N and no other political party has done anything that they could showcase for general elections 2018. He said other parties don’t have any big project to show. He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan should let the public know that what project his party completed in KP in terms of infrastructure, social development, economic development and electricity etc.

Nawaz suggested the reporters to ask Maulana Fazlur Rehman to tell that how speedily Zhob-Hakla Motorway is getting completed that will join Burhan.

“In total, we got almost two years to work. First we were kept busy in handling dharna protests in 2014 and by the end of that year we started work. In 2016, there was Panama and once again we were detracted from the path of progress. Had we given full five years to work, we could have done many more things that we didn’t,” Nawaz said.

In such a short time, he said, the PML-N restored peace to Balochistan and restored peace to Karachi where there was a culture of dead bodies to be found in the sacks and extortion as well.

“Before PML-N there used to be 22 hours loadshedding. We solved the problem and now electricity is being provided despite the fact that the hydel is not working at its full capacity due to shortage of water. In this holy month of Ramazan, people are being provided with uninterrupted electricity,” Nawaz claimed.

The former premier said that Iqama case is as ridiculous as was the case of hijacking formed against him in 1999 and for the similar reasons too.

“Our nation didn’t accept the cases at that time and it is not ready to accept it now as well. People wonder how these cases could be tried,” he said.

Commenting on the nominated caretaker chief minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Manzoor Afridi, Nawaz said it is highest form of nepotism (Andha Bantey Rewryan…..Mur Mur Apnon Ko De).

“They are going to make a person caretaker chief minister who is real brother of a PTI senator. It’s like keeping everything at their own home,” he said

He inquired from a reporter that how much pressure is there on media these days. Then he started reading a BBC article according to which a prominent English language newspaper is facing hardships to survive.