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Military must keep out of politics, says Nawaz
By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, Jan 23: Chief of Pakistan Muslim League-N and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday the prerequisite for establishing genuine democracy in the country was a complete de-linking of the armed forces from political affairs and called upon the military to ensure complete adherence to the Constitution.
Speaking at a gathering of journalists and writers organised by his party, Mr Sharif blamed President Pervez Musharraf for the present state of affairs. However, he said, the armed forces as an institution should realise that its image had been tarnished over the years by the actions of their top commander.
Mr Sharifs view was that the military or its successive senior commanders had remained involved in civilian affairs for many years, and he advised the present military leadership to ensure that their institutions name was not tarnished any further.
According to him, the armed forces were a subordinate institution of the ministry of defence and this arrangement should remain unchanged.
The PML-N leader said once in power his party would make sure that the defence budget was not presented in detail before parliament, and also thoroughly debated by the two elected houses.
While pledging to initiate a thorough debate on defence spending, Mr Sharif did not say why in the past when he had a two-third majority in the parliament, such a move was not introduced.
When asked about his own role and support for a military regime in the past, a reference to the days of Gen Ziaul Haq, Mr Sharif indirectly admitted that it was a mistake. Though some of the people present at the gathering found it difficult to believe, Mr Sharif was quite firm in his claim that he never contacted any army chief in the past to ask to topple a civilian government.
For most part of his press-talk, the PML-N leader repeated his diatribe against President Musharraf and blamed him for all the ills and troubles in the country. His view was that the last nail in the coffin had come in the form of destruction of the judiciary. Therefore, he said, it was our firm belief that without restoring the judiciary that was sacked on Nov 3, true democracy cannot return to this country.
Accompanied by some top leaders from his party, including Raja Zafarul Haq, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Mr Sharif said he was convinced that President Musharraf and democracy could not co-exist. It was for this reason, he said, that one of their principal demands was that he should step down.
At the same time he claimed that once the general elections were held, the PML-N and other allied parties would ensure that actions taken by Gen Musharraf during the emergency rule of Nov 3 were not given indemnity.
Asked about the prevailing impression about him being anti-West, Mr Sharif took pains in explaining that he was neither opposed to the West nor was he against the US. Its a wrong impression, he said. I may have some reservations about President Bushs policies, but then many people in Pakistan have the same views, he said.
Later, Mr Sharif tried to meet the deposed chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, but was stopped by a heavy police contingent from entering the Judges Colony.
Speaking to a sizeable crowd of party workers and a group of reporters at the place, Mr Sharif said that after coming into power his party would restore all the judges who had refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) of Gen Musharraf .
It was the second attempt by Mr Sharif to meet the deposed chief justice. He had made a similar attempt on Dec 6.
Mr Sharif condemned the move to get the CJs House vacated and warned the officials involved in such illegal acts of stern action when his party came into power. He said Iftikhar Chaudhry was still the chief justice of Pakistan.
Later, Mr Sharif and other party leaders and workers visited the houses of the families of some party workers who were killed in a firing on Islamabad Highway on Dec 27. Mr Sharif will speak to the members of the High Court Bar Association in Peshawar on Thursday.
Military must keep out of politics, says Nawaz -DAWN - Top Stories; January 24, 2008
Its funny how Nawaz Sharrif reffered to President Zia as his father and now is against the Armies role in politics. He only supports who ever is putting money in his bank balance.
What do you guys think the role of the Army should be in Pakistan? Do you think that our Army should be like the Turkish Army?
By Amir Wasim
ISLAMABAD, Jan 23: Chief of Pakistan Muslim League-N and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday the prerequisite for establishing genuine democracy in the country was a complete de-linking of the armed forces from political affairs and called upon the military to ensure complete adherence to the Constitution.
Speaking at a gathering of journalists and writers organised by his party, Mr Sharif blamed President Pervez Musharraf for the present state of affairs. However, he said, the armed forces as an institution should realise that its image had been tarnished over the years by the actions of their top commander.
Mr Sharifs view was that the military or its successive senior commanders had remained involved in civilian affairs for many years, and he advised the present military leadership to ensure that their institutions name was not tarnished any further.
According to him, the armed forces were a subordinate institution of the ministry of defence and this arrangement should remain unchanged.
The PML-N leader said once in power his party would make sure that the defence budget was not presented in detail before parliament, and also thoroughly debated by the two elected houses.
While pledging to initiate a thorough debate on defence spending, Mr Sharif did not say why in the past when he had a two-third majority in the parliament, such a move was not introduced.
When asked about his own role and support for a military regime in the past, a reference to the days of Gen Ziaul Haq, Mr Sharif indirectly admitted that it was a mistake. Though some of the people present at the gathering found it difficult to believe, Mr Sharif was quite firm in his claim that he never contacted any army chief in the past to ask to topple a civilian government.
For most part of his press-talk, the PML-N leader repeated his diatribe against President Musharraf and blamed him for all the ills and troubles in the country. His view was that the last nail in the coffin had come in the form of destruction of the judiciary. Therefore, he said, it was our firm belief that without restoring the judiciary that was sacked on Nov 3, true democracy cannot return to this country.
Accompanied by some top leaders from his party, including Raja Zafarul Haq, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Mr Sharif said he was convinced that President Musharraf and democracy could not co-exist. It was for this reason, he said, that one of their principal demands was that he should step down.
At the same time he claimed that once the general elections were held, the PML-N and other allied parties would ensure that actions taken by Gen Musharraf during the emergency rule of Nov 3 were not given indemnity.
Asked about the prevailing impression about him being anti-West, Mr Sharif took pains in explaining that he was neither opposed to the West nor was he against the US. Its a wrong impression, he said. I may have some reservations about President Bushs policies, but then many people in Pakistan have the same views, he said.
Later, Mr Sharif tried to meet the deposed chief justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, but was stopped by a heavy police contingent from entering the Judges Colony.
Speaking to a sizeable crowd of party workers and a group of reporters at the place, Mr Sharif said that after coming into power his party would restore all the judges who had refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) of Gen Musharraf .
It was the second attempt by Mr Sharif to meet the deposed chief justice. He had made a similar attempt on Dec 6.
Mr Sharif condemned the move to get the CJs House vacated and warned the officials involved in such illegal acts of stern action when his party came into power. He said Iftikhar Chaudhry was still the chief justice of Pakistan.
Later, Mr Sharif and other party leaders and workers visited the houses of the families of some party workers who were killed in a firing on Islamabad Highway on Dec 27. Mr Sharif will speak to the members of the High Court Bar Association in Peshawar on Thursday.
Military must keep out of politics, says Nawaz -DAWN - Top Stories; January 24, 2008
Its funny how Nawaz Sharrif reffered to President Zia as his father and now is against the Armies role in politics. He only supports who ever is putting money in his bank balance.
What do you guys think the role of the Army should be in Pakistan? Do you think that our Army should be like the Turkish Army?
