Foreign policy be made autonomous

KARACHI - Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) General Secretary Zafar Iqbal Jhagra on Monday underlined the need of making an independent foreign policy to bring the country out of crisis. He urged the government to implement the 14-point resolution of the parliament on national security. "The war on terror was the biggest challenge for the government and by implementing the 14-point resolution, the government will meet this challenge," he added. Speaking at a Press conference at Karachi Press Club accompanied with PML-N Sindh Vice President Saleem Zia and Makhdoom Shah Nawaz, he said that the 14-point resolution that call for an independent foreign policy and dialogue with genuine and legitimate stakeholders was must to save Pakistan from crisis. He urged that whoever falls in the category of legitimate stakeholders, be it the Taliban or the United States or Israel, should be engaged in the process of dialogue. Answering a question, he clarified that he named Israel and others because Zionist regime of Israel and Indian RAW were also named for terrorism and bad law and order situation in Pakistan. Jhagra recalled that PML-N's leader Chaudhry Nisar had earlier demanded that the resolution should be implemented within next 48 hours, but it was being delayed. Without reinstatement of sacked judges including the deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, independent judiciary cannot be established in Pakistan, he said. He demanded of the government to fulfill its promise and restore the pre-November 3 judiciary, adding that an independent judiciary may solve all internal problems that are linked with judiciary. He said that national interests were supreme adding that delay in the parliament's unanimous decision to defend legitimate national interests was tantamount to denial of parliament's supremacy. "PPP-led government is fortunate that a strong opposition plays a positive and constructive role and doesn't create problems for smooth functioning of democracy." He rejected the impression that the PML-N's move against the Chief Justice Hameed Dogar was a conspiracy to disturb the government and said that PML-N leader Mian Nawaz Sharif wants that the PPP government should complete its tenure. He, however, maintained that PML-N would not compromise on vital national issues. "PML-N honoured its commitments and sacrificed ministries to uphold the politics of principles," he added. He said PML-N was indicating flaws and it was the government to rectify those flaws. He said the PML-N had not adopted the politics of confrontation but it was the government's duty to honour the commitments which it made with the Pakistani nation. Jhagra said that Pakistanis and the political parties had responded to the Indian government by marking solidarity and All Parties Conference was a proof of unity.

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