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Further stay of present set-up to be harmful for country: PML

Recorder Report

Lahore: The Pakistan Muslim League (PML) while bitterly criticising the present set-up for its ineffective and harmful policies, declared that the country would have to face serious situation, if the present rulers are allowed to stay further in power.

The PML organised a meeting at the Muslim League House here on Thursday in connection with the Pakistan day celebrations. Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of the deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif presided over the meeting. Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Gohar Ayub Khan, Majid Malik, Sir Anjam Khan, Capt Haleem Siddiqui, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, Javed Hashmi, Zafar Iqbal Jhargga, Rana Nazir Ahmad, Tehmina Doultana and Kh Saad Rafique also spoke on the occasion.

The PML leaders criticised the administration for creating hurdles in holding the meeting. They regretted that the PML house lawn was watered by the police to stop holding of this meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, Kulsoom Nawaz said the performance of the present set-up is very poor as the law and order situation is deteriorating, prices are shooting up and no developmental work is being carried out. She added that the present government, being afraid of Nawaz Sharif, put him behind the bars in a baseless case.

She said we wanted to celebrate the Pakistan Day in a befitting manner to pay tributes to Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal, but the district administration created hurdles and forced us to observe a protest day. She said as soon as, the PML workers would come out on roads, the present rulers would quit the corridor of powers.

She said the rulers are afraid of the Lahorites as they knew that as and when people of this city awake, they would have to quit the government. Nevertheless, she claimed the government is itself paving the way for a movement against it because of its wrong and anti-people steps. Nawaz Sharif was blamed of destroying the institutions, but as a matter of fact, the sitting rulers are damaging the institutions.

Talking about the application moved by the NAB Chairman in the Lahore High Court seeking transfer to Attock the hearing of references against Nawaz Sharif and his sons, Kulsoom said the rulers wanted to put the members of Sharif family into jail. She said the present government came into power on the basis of falsehood, that was why it was preparing baseless cases against the Sharif family members.

Former Federal Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad in his speech said the killer of 100 children is being presented in an ordinary court, while the elected prime minister is facing trial in the anti-terrorist court. If any thing happened with Nawaz Sharif, the Lahore would become orphan politically, he said and added while weeping that afterward nobody would be able to save the PML.

He said the US interest in the Sub-Continent has been changed and currently, it is preferring India over Pakistan. He said the whole team of the present set up belonged to the IMF and foreign institutions, which is implementing foreign agenda.

He said the army should return to barracks in a respectful manner. He complained that the Lahorites did nothing during last six months in protest against Nawaz Sharif's confinement.

Speaking on the occasion, Gen Abdul Majid Malik (Retd) said a conspiracy was hatched to keep Pakistan alone in the commity of nations and now the country had been isolated internationally. Nawaz Sharif's aircraft case is a part of the conspiracy because he had refused to implement the international agenda. Taking over of the government by a few people is an attempt to create hatred between the public and army so that in case of any eventuality, the public could not support its armed forces, he added. "India has started demanding Azad Kashmir, hence, on the basis of personal experience, I believe that India could start limited war with Pakistan", he maintained.

Talking about US President visit, Majid Malik said that Bill Clinton would demand expulsion of Usama bin Laden from Afghanistan, signing of CTBT, and stopping activity in the Kashmir.

Former foreign minister Ghaur Ayub Khan in his speech said when we were slave, the English governor had allowed holding of public meeting at Minto Park, which resulted in passage of Pakistan Resolution. At present, when we are independent, the government did not allow the PML to hold public meeting at Minar-e-Pakistan.

He said the general elections would be announced this year, therefore, people should be ready for it and vote for Muslim League, which had various achievements.

He said every crime could be attributed to Muslim Leaguer, but not of treason. He said they have full confidence in the trial court hearing plane case.

Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, in his speech said the day of March 23, 1940 paved the way for creation of Islamic country(Pakistan) while it is the day of renewing the pledge to work for the bright future of the country. He said aircraft case is not a matter of Nawaz Sharif or Shahbaz Sharif, but of the entire Pakistani Nation of 140 million.

Credit goes to Nawaz Sharif, who took the Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee to Minar-e-Pakistan and forced him to recognise Pakistan Resolution.

He said General Pervez Musharraf had deprived the country of peace, and democracy. General Musharraf was following Gen Yahya Khan, but we can not afford another Yahya, he said.

He said the people who were doing accountability were themselves involved in corruption.

Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Capt Halim Siddiqui, Zafar Iqbal Khan Jhagra, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, Begum Tehmina Daultan, Rana Nazir Ahmad, Khawaja Saad Rafiq and Sir Anjam Khan, speaking on the occasion, criticised the district administration for not permitting the PML to hold the public meeting at Minar-e-Pakistan. They demanded of the army to return to the barracks, restore the assemblies, and release Nawaz Sharif and others. They reiterated to continue their struggle for the restoration of democracy in the country.