KARACHI: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday asked representatives of political parties to provide guidance and valuable input to improve law and order situation in the port city.
He said the federal government was ready to assist all the provincial governments in tackling any situation, including law and order, as it respected the public mandate enjoyed by them. He was addressing leaders of the political parties during a meeting held here to develop a consensus for restoring peace, law and order situation in Karachi. The Prime Minister said Pakistan was confronted with a host of issues like terrorism and loadshedding and stressed that together political parties of all hues should stand firm to face the challenges.
He underlined the need for use of maximum power to overcome challenges like terrorism and loadshedding.“An investor cannot invest when there is an issue of law and order situation and under such conditions how can we tread the path of progress and prosperity and expects growth,” he added.Prime Minister Sharif emphasized that peace and economic growth were interlinked.About the situation in Karachi, the Prime Minister observed that someone was demanding for bringing in the military to control the situation, others were pressing forth for targeted operation while somebody was asking for deployment of Rangers.
Addressing the representatives of political parties, he reminded them that some among them had powerful public mandate and it was the policy of the federal government to respect their due mandate.“I’m not a Prime Minister of Pakistan Muslim League but belong to the whole country. So far as the development of the country and issues of loadshedding, bringing an end to lawlessness and law and order are concerned, I will not do politics,” he emphasized and asked the political parties to extend their cooperation in the greater national interest.
He said he had already made it clear during his televised address to the nation and at the mausoleum of Quaid-i-Azam that they fully respected the mandate enjoyed by parties in the provinces.The federal government was ready and would be ready to assist the provincial governments and their stance was already widely shown by the media, he said, adding,”We strongly believe that change in governments should be made through ballot and now Pakistan has started its journey on such a path.”
The Prime Minister said that they were ready to assist the parties and expected similar reciprocation on their sides.He said there was no dislike for anyone and asked the political representatives to frankly discuss the issue of law and order in Karachi without any reservation.He maintained when Karachi was peaceful, it would benefit the coming generations and the mothers would have no fear for their school going children.
Highlighting the importance of developing a political consensus, the Prime Minister said it would benefit all as nobody wanted to settle abroad as it was their home and together they could lead it to path of prosperity and development.He said he had also discussed with the Sindh Governor and the Chief Minister the situation prevailing in Karachi, which was an important city of Pakistan and a commercial hub.Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid and leaders from Muttahida Quami Movement, Pakistan Peoples Party, Awami National Party, Jammat-i-Islami and others were also present during the meeting. – APP
