LAHORE - “Pervez Musharraf had offered me prime ministership but I did not accept it for the sake of democracy. I admit that Musharraf preferred me for prime minister’s office.”

This revelation was made by Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif while talking to media and answering queries following agreement signing ceremony between Punjab Land Record Authority (PLRA) and National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) at Model Town here yesterday.

Replying to a query in the context with recent statement by the former army chief Pervez Musharraf highlighting Shehbaz’s leadership qualities, Shehbaz said that he kept this matter in his heart for a long time and now when Musharraf has himself spoken he admits that Musharraf preferred me for prime minister’s office.

He said it was the desire of Pervez Musharraf to see him in the office of prime minister under his rule, but “I made it clear to Pervez Musharraf that democratic systems are not run like that.”

Shehbaz further said that during a meeting with the then Army Chief Pervez Musharraf when Nawaz Sharif was still the Prime Minister he had even asked him that if Musharraf had any grievance he can arrange his meeting with Nawaz Sharif.

“Ok, I am going to Sri Lanka and arrange my meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif upon return. I shall also arrange my necessary notes in this regard, the CM said quoting Musharraf.

Shehbaz Sharif said that the secret of development lies in harmonious ties between the military and the civil leadership that is why he has always been a supporter of effective relations between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Replying to a question asked about responsibility of the institutions, he said that all the institutions have to fulfil their obligations while remaining within the Constitutional limits.

Parliament is a supreme institution having representation of four provinces and its powers are fully explained in the Constitution, he said.

Executive has to fulfil its duties while the courts are required to play their role, he said.

Similarly, Parliament has the necessary authority to legislate and it has to pay its role and if there are any blacksheep, then holding them accountable is the responsibility of the respective institution, he stated.

Replying to a question about the demand of NAB to Punjab government departments to provide their records, the Chief Minister termed the impression as baseless that Punjab’s institutions are not providing the required record to NAB.

“I had summoned the meeting the very next day and gave clear-cut instructions to all the departments to provide all the required record to NAB as per law when a statement of Chairman NAB was made about it.”

He said that NAB is active in Punjab but it is not so active in other provinces. He said that accountability should be indiscriminate and based on justice, he added.

God forbid, if any corruption is done somewhere, then we should not protect anybody and, rather, bring them to the task, he said.

He said that 450 employees of Punjab Land Record Authority, who got jobs by greasing the palms, were removed from their posts.

Earlier, DG Punjab Land Record Authority Capt (Retd) Zafar Iqbal and Chairman NADRA Mobeen Usman signed the agreement.

According to this agreement, the services of obtaining ownership deeds of public properties at NADRA’s 3700 E-Sahulat Centers will be provided to the people.

Addressing the ceremony, the Chief Minister termed the agreement as a welcome step adding that it would facilitate 5.5 crore farmers of the province.

Today is a historic moment with regard to the prosperity of the farming community as it will save time and ensure transparency through use of Information Technology, he said.

Recalling the past performance, he said that land record computerisation was started way back in 1997, but the democratic process was obstructed on October 12, 1999 and the project was put to back burner in the dictatorship era.

No further work was done and the resources allocated for the software succumbed to corruption, he said.

The concerned forums have not taken notice of this corruption which they should have, he added.

When we came to power in 2008, the project was moved forward speedily as the project was completed with the collective efforts and 23,000 villages were computerized, he added.

He said that instead of hiding facts, it is better to elicit facts.

He said that the world is not 100 per cent corruption-free and it can be found in countries like Denmark which are known as transparent-states in the world.

The Chief Minister said that land record computerization system is a giant leap towards elimination of anti-farmers Patwari culture.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and DG Punjab Land Record Authority Zafar Iqbal also spoke on the occasion.

Revenue Minister Atta Maneka, Dr Umar Saif, Chief Secretary, Chairman PLRA Rana Babar Hussain and high officials of Punjab government as well as NADRA, were also present on the occasion.