WASHINGTON: Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday to appear before the Swiss court to clear his name.
Mr Sharif observed that there was no need to include the 17th amendment in a larger package as all political and democratic forces in the country wanted its repeal.
In an interview to an Urdu program on the US MHZ channel, the PML-N chief said he would work with democratic forces to protect democracy but he also advised the PPP government to respect the judiciary.
“They should respect the judiciary and implement the Supreme Court decision on the NRO issue,” he said. Mr Sharif noted that fortunately Pakistan had an independent judiciary now and urged all NRO beneficiaries, including President Zardari, to appear before the relevant courts and clear their names.
“Whatever cases, there are. In the country or outside, here or in Switzerland, they should go and defend themselves before the court and clear their names,” he said. “They should be prepared to accept the judgment of an independent court.” The PML-N chief indicated that he believed the government was not sincere in repealing the 17th amendment.
“They want to include it in a package … but we fear that this package will never be approved and therefore the 17th amendment will also remain,” he said.
Mr Sharif observed that there was no need to include the 17th amendment in a larger package as all political and democratic forces in the country wanted its repeal.
“There are no differences on this issue. Even President Zardari is committed to removing this amendment, then why this delay? Why these delaying tactics?” he asked. “Mr Zardari should fulfil his promise.”
Mr Sharif said he opposed the Kerry-Lugar bill because he believed that it would hurt Pakistan’s sovereignty. “I have reservations about this bill and I have conveyed those to Senator John Kerry as well.”
Mr Sharif said that loans and financial assistance have never helped a country in attaining self-reliance. “Instead of seeking aid or IMF loans, we should focus on economic development,” he said.
The former prime minister, who was toppled by the military in 1999, blamed military dictatorships for the problems the country faced today.
“Terrorism, economic and political instability, even the NRO, all these problems cropped up during dictatorships,” he said. “If we had had regular democratic governments, we would be better off.” (Source: Dawn)
