If what Nawaz Sharif is saying is true, then does this prove that the Pakistani people did not want the former President, the Great Pervez Musharaf to resign by voting for Great Zardari led PPP?
PPP govt an extension of Musharraf rule: Nawaz
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PPP govt an extension of Musharraf rule: Nawaz**
Saturday, August 30, 2008
*‘I feel let down. Dismayed, disappointed’*
By Ayesha Haroon
ISLAMABAD: The present dispensation appears to be an extension of the previous government, said PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif on Thursday, terming it a great disappointment.
Talking to The News in an exclusive interview at the Punjab House, Nawaz Sharif discussed why he thought democracy was the only way forward for Pakistan and why he insisted on playing politics according to strictly defined rules of the game this time.
Ridding the country of the dictator was not the only aim of the coalition government, he said in a quiet but intense tone, the aim was to follow the letter and spirit of democracy by reinstating the judges, ensuring sanctity of the institutions and bringing back the rule of law, healing the wounds of Balochistan, resolving the FATA crisis, stabilising and building the economy, and giving hope to the people of Pakistan.
He did get emotional though when asked whether he felt cheated by the PPP. “I feel let down. Dismayed, disappointed.” Incredulous, he said: “I never thought one can violate agreements so blatantly… it was a shock.”
Focused and measured for most part, the post-exile Sharif refuses to be riled up and instead explains in great detail the rationale for his actions. Extremely protective of, what he terms, Pakistan’s “hard-earned” democracy, even while narrating the history of many agreements he avoids using any negative comments about his erstwhile coalition partners. “Mudslinging will only strengthen non-democratic forces.”
There are some who blame Nawaz for keeping the focus on the impeachment and the judges’ issue at the cost of the economic crisis and the prevailing situation in FATA. "The judges issue and scrapping of the 17th Amendment could have been over in a couple of days, in fact we were the ones who said these issues should not be dragged on.
“Governments are not run by only looking at one issue at a time, you have to handle numerous equally important and high priority issues at the same time,” said Nawaz, shaking his head.
When asked where in hindsight he thought he did not play it well and should have walked away earlier, Nawaz, sure of the rightness of his stand and disappointed at the turn of events, laughed a mirthless laugh: “We did not want to walk away even now. We had no choice.”
The coalition came into being over certain common objectives and we gave our coalition partner a lot of time, he said, even though we knew that some people had started criticising us and saying we had got into some underhand deal with the PPP.
In the last agreement, Zardari insisted that the judges would be restored within 24 hours of General Musharraf’s impeachment or resignation and despite having reservations over his promise, we decided to give him one more chance, he said, “because no one can solve the present problems of Pakistan alone.”
On whether by leaving the coalition the PML-N has made its government in the Punjab vulnerable, or is the PPP underestimating the PML-N, he said: “I believe that we should not be aiming to throw out their government in the centre or they should try to destabilise the PML-N government in the Punjab. It is in the interest of the country that democracy is protected and state institutions not harmed further – to keep those forces at bay that are always itching to interfere.”
He said it was clearly written in the Charter of Democracy that parties would respect each other’s mandate and that the largest party would form its government. When asked whether the CoD was followed so far by their erstwhile coalition partner, he said: “It has not been implemented at all. Had they even tried to follow its spirit, the judges would have been reinstated, the 17th Amendment scrapped and the rule of law restored.”
In a serious and measured tone, Sharif said: “We have no intentions of destabilising the system for this is a very hard-earned democracy. Harking back to the politics of the 80s and the 90s would be bad for the country.”
He said that while he did not want to go into the numbers game, it’s clear to everyone that the gap in the Punjab Assembly was very narrow without the PPP but the gap in the National Assembly, without the PML-N support, was very wide. “We know how to defend the mandate of the people, and the Punjab government reflects the mandate of the voters of Punjab, but we will do in a democratic manner."
During the acrimonious and no-holds barred politics of the 90s, Mian Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto spent most of their time, in government and in opposition, trying to bring the other down, helping the non-democratic forces gain strength.
Today, Sharif firmly believes that only a strong and supportive coalition, following the spirit of democracy, would reduce the distrust between the institutions, between the Centre and the provinces, and give a boost to the economy.
“There is no shortcut to good governance, the Centre should respect the mandate of the small provinces and give them their rights, their rightful share of the NFC Award and their wounds, inflicted by Musharraf, would start healing.”
Nawaz is particularly perturbed over the state of Balochistan and FATA. Of his contact with Sardar Attaullah Mengal, he said: “He is very offended. Why? Because the establishment has treated him very badly, inflicted wounds that are still not healed. We have to reach out to him.”
Nawaz also wants the National Assembly to debate and formulate a national policy on FATA, “only such a policy would have genuine ownership, not a policy made behind closed door by a few people.”
The post Oct 12 coup imprisonment and the subsequent 8-year exile appear to have washed away the establishment-grit. “You learn from your follies, past mistakes. I reflected on what I did wrong, which of my actions were disservice to the nation and what I should have done instead. The roots of democracy have gained strength in me, else I would have tried to avenge myself when I came back. Now I only want to spend my energies supporting principled democracy,” he said, calmly. “No one can play with the destiny of Pakistan if we follow our own Constitution. Problems arise when we deviate from the rule of law.”
