President should go to court despite immunity

PESHAWAR PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif on Friday said that despite the immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution, the President should go to the court and clear his position. While talking to journalists at Jhagra House, he said, Rule of law should be respected and justice should prevail. He said that the NRO was a 'gift by the former dictators, but it was now the responsibility of the incumbent government to implement the Supreme Court verdict in its true spirit. Raising a revolutionary team is the need of hour that can save the country, he said. Nawaz ruled out the formation of a national government and said that the Constitution has no such provision. In response to a question, he criticised the government for delaying matters like abolishing the 17th Amendment and implementation of the Charter of Democracy inordinately. Furthermore, he said that the present rulers have been issuing statements against drone attacks, but at the same time they allow the US to target the territory of Pakistan. Nawaz said that the US has been talking about having a dialogue with the Taliban, while this step should have been taken by Pakistan much before. Nawaz urged the government to accept the verdict on NRO and to respect the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution as it was in countrys interests. Responding to a question, he said: Had he been the president and had the immunity, he would have moved court to get a clearance certificate. Mian Nawaz Sharif said the country was passing through critical time and it was the need of the day to strictly follow the supremacy of law and constitution besides improving the good governance, which is sole panacea of all the problems confronting the country. Earlier, addressing a press conference at the Jhagra House he said that the situation would have been altogether different if the Charter of Democracy had been implemented in letter and spirit. He said that democracy could only be strengthened in the country by accepting the supremacy of justice, rule of law, constitution and bringing excellence in the good governance for solution to peoples problems. He said the judgement of Supreme Court on NRO should be respected without ifs and buts. To a question regarding immunity to the President, he said if he were passing through such a situation he would certainly have preferred to go to courts to defend cases. PML-N NWFP Chief Organiser and former chief minister Mehtab Ahmed Khan Abbasi, senior leaders PML-N Sabir Shah, Zafar Iqbal Jehgara and other veteran leaguers were also present on the occasion. Nawaz Sharif said that he would visit all the divisions of the country to spread his partys message. Underlining the need for revolutionary thinking and positive attitude, he said, time had come to set aside petty issues to take the country out of the existing problems and make it strong, prosperous and democratic welfare state. Regarding wests initiatives to reintegrate moderate Taliban, he said that Pakistani government should have adopted this process earlier. He said if the joint resolution passed by the National Assembly on security issue had been implemented in letter and spirit, the situation would have been different today. On renaming of NWFP, he said that he would discuss the issue with the party. He said that politics of hypocrisy and confrontation should be avoided and focus should be put on politics of principles and accommodations. The former premier said that his party had raised voice against drone attacks at every forum.

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