Says PML-N, PPP unity to foil conspiracies against democracy
MULTAN: Former prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has said Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif is the leader of the house and he is very much committed with the Charter of Democracy and nobody from his party, Pakistan Muslim League-N, including Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, can sabotage the CoD or unity of democrats.
Talking to The News here on Saturday, ex-premier and the PPP central leader said his son Ali Haider Gilani was kidnapped because of his policy of supporting a military operation in Pakistan’s tribal areas, and the PPP did not compromise on the public interests.
“My son is the victim of my politics of opposing militants, as my government was the first to launch a military operation against terrorists, while others were demanding dialogue with Taliban.
“We launched the military operation for saving the coming generations from the ongoing wave of terrorism and growing militancy,” he added.
“Today, the PML-N and the PTI are toeing our line, our stance, and supporting military operation.
“Imran Khan even demanded opening of the Taliban regime offices in Pakistan, but now he is supporting the military operation, which is a victory of the PPP’s mature politics. It has exposed Khan’s immaturity in politics,” Gilani claimed.
Gilani said Operation Zarb-e-Azb is the continuation of the PPP’s commitment and operation in Swat and tribal areas. He said the PPP is the only party in the present times whose leaders and workers have sacrificed their lives for democracy.
The Bhuttos are the only family in the Subcontinent whose members died unnatural deaths. The Bhutto family sacrificed lives for the people’s Raj, supremacy of Constitution, Parliament and the rule of law, he added.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is the continuation of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto’s vision, wisdom and he is the real leader of masses. He said only Pakistan People’s Party has the genuine youth leadership in the shape of Bilawal Bhutto, while all other parties have leaders who have crossed their 60s and, therefore, their claim of representing the youth of Pakistan is misplaced.
Gilani said the PPP would not allow anyone to abrogate the Constitution again, as it had offered numerous sacrifices in defence of democracy and the Constitution.
Responding to a query on Rangers’ powers in Sindh and the interior minister’s stance against the PPP, he said no individual could sabotage the Charter of Democracy (CoD) because Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is very much committed to it.
Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were two signatories to the CoD. He said nobody could sabotage understanding among the democratic forces, as the PPP, PML-N and other democrats are united on protection of democracy and its survival. This unity and understanding would foil all conspiracies against democracy. He said his government had implemented 85 per cent of the CoD and the rest of 15pc implementation is due on the part of the PML-N.
About the killing of Bilal Laang in an encounter with the Counter-Terrorism Department, Gilani said he was not sure about his involvement in his son’s abduction.
