‘Nawaz should pay attention to poor people in Punjab’

Daily Times

* Sharmila advises Nawaz not to try and deceive people of Sindh


KARACHI: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is a national party and free from all kinds of linguistics and provincialism and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif, before claiming to change the fate of Sindhis, should concentrate on how to change the life of poor people in Punjab.


Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Information Sharmila Farooqi said this while commenting on a statement of Nawaz.


The present democratic government has adopted an equal footing-based policy for all provinces and believes in serving the people irrespective of their affiliation, she added.


She said, “The people of Pakistan have not forgotten that the killings in Karachi were started during the tenure of Nawaz and that he had imposed governor rule in Sindh to protect his motives. If Nawaz knew who were behind the target killings in Karachi, then he should tell the people.”


Sharmila said before claiming to arrest the killers of Benazir Bhutto, he should first arrest the killers of General Zia, under whose leadership he started politics. Benazir’s assassination investigation has made considerable progress and the killers have been arrested as a joint interrogation team investigated them and the cases are going on in the court. The United Nations also helped in the investigation of her assassination, she added.


Sharmila said, “PPP is the largest political party of Pakistan and people belonging to all races and religions are the part of it as it believes in complete freedom of judiciary and media.”


She said political history of Pakistan has witnessed that the leaders and workers of PPP played the pioneer role in the freedom of judiciary and media.


She said the people of Sindh would never come under the influence of empty promises made by Nawaz because they believe firmly in the leadership of PPP.


She advised Nawaz to concentrate on the development of poor masses in Punjab and not to try and deceive the people of Sindh.

Nawaz, Khosa meet in Raiwind

Khosa says policy of reconciliation will continue since
it is in the interest of the people of Punjab.

Tribune

RAIWIND: Newly appointed Governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khosa and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif agreed to build a better political atmosphere in the province on Tuesday.

Khosa met with Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif at their Raiwind residence on Tuesday.

The governor conveyed to the Sharifs his leadership’s point of view on a better working relationship in Punjab. He said the policy of reconciliation will continue since it is in the interest of the people of Punjab.

Nawaz said he would be glad to work with the new governor for the political uplift of the province.

Khosa was accompanied by Senior Minister Raja Riaz, PPP Punjab President Imtiaz Warraich and Provincial Minister Tanveer Ashraf Kaira.

Mills and Factories of Nawaz Sharif & Co.

Different mills and factories owned by Mr. Nawaz Sharif and company

1) Chaudhry Sugar Mills (80/A, Abu Bakar Block, New Garden Town, Lahore)
2) Ramzan Sugar Mills Ltd (7 –A New Muslim Town, Lahore)
3) Mehran Ramzan Textile Mills Ltd (7/A,New Muslim Town)
4) Mohammad Buksh Textile Mills (32-EMPRESS ROAD, LAHORE)
5) Hamza Spinning Mills (32-EMPRESS ROAD, LAHORE)
6) Hudaibiya Paper Mills 
7) Hudabiya Engg (Pvt) Ltd (32-EMPRESS ROAD, LAHORE)
8) Hamza Board Mills
9) Kulsoom Textile Mills
10 ) Ittefaq Brothers (Pvt) Ltd
‎11) Ilyas Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd
12) Brothers Steel Ltd
13) Ittefaq Sugar Mills (40-B/II, Gulberg III, Lahore)
14) Khalid Siraj Textile Industries
15) Ramzan Baksh Textile Mills
16) Ittefaq Textile Mills
17) Brothers Textile Mills 
18) Ittefaq Foundries
19) Khalid Siraj Industries
20) Barkat Textile Mills
21) Abdul Aziz Textile Mills
22) Brothers Sugar Mills and Effective (Pvt) Ltd (135-Upper Mall, Lahore)

23) Abdullah Sugar Mills (103/B-1, M.M Alam  Road Lahore)

24) Channar Sugar Mills (194, Abu Bakar Block, New Garden Town, Lahore)

25) Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills (103/B-1, M.M Alam Road, Gulberg III Lahore)

26) Kashmir Sugar Mills (40-B/II, Gulberg III, Lahore)

27) Yousaf Sugar Mills (103 -/B-1, M.M. Alam Road, Lahore)

28) Kamalia Sugar Mills (Askari Villas No.2, Sarwar Road, Near Garrison Cinema, Lahore Cantt)

29) Layyah Sugar Mills (17 - G, Gulberg III, Lahore)

MQM welcomes PM-Nawaz phone contact

SAMAA
KARACHI/LONDON: Dr Farooq Sattar of Muttahida Qaumi Movment (MQM) has said on Sunday that the telephonic contact between Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Mian Nawaz Sharif is positive.

He said this from London through his telephonic participation in party's press conference at Nine Zero, Karachi.

Sattar said that his party welcomed PM Gilani's positive response to PML-Nawaz's agenda.

He urged that all political parties to cooperate each other as all political issues could be resolved.

Sattar said that MQM rejoined the coalition government after the assurance of PM Gilani.

He demanded complete eradication of poverty, corruption and unemployment. He also suggested opposition to play its due role for the betterment of the people of Pakistan.

Musharraf calls Nawaz Sharif 'closet Taliban'

Indian Express

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has called former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif a “closet Taliban”.

“I call Nawaz Sharif a closet Taliban. He's a man who is -- who has been -- in contact with Taliban. He is a man who, today, appeases the clerics and mawlawis [Sunni Islamic scholars] -- the extremists,” 'Foreign Policy' quoted Musharraf, as saying in an exclusive interview.

When asked why he wanted to re-enter Pakistan politics when he had himself once said that being in charge of Pakistan may well be "the hardest job in the world," Musharraf replied: “[It's about offering] another alternative to the people of Pakistan. At this moment, they are stuck between two alternatives: the [ruling] People's Party and PML-N, the party of former prime minister and Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif. If you look at both of them, [they are] dysfunctional.”

“Moreover, he (Sharif) has tried [his hand at leadership as prime minister] twice in the past -- and he has failed. Why are we giving him a third chance to destroy Pakistan? My new party is an alternative to the people of Pakistan with the hope of changing the conditions of the people of Pakistan and the state,” he added.

The former military ruler said that presently, “there is such hopelessness, and there is such a sense of despondency in the people of Pakistan. It's worrisome. People are quitting Pakistan. They want to leave the country.”

“There's a leadership vacuum, and no political party has the wherewithal to meet this challenge. What I've done really is to present to the people of Pakistan with "here's another, an alternative." [And] I have been tested also for nine years,” he added.

Responding to a question as to why Pakistanis should give him another chance if they were not happy with him at the end of his presidency, Musharraf said: “I came into office on a very high pedestal; people wanted a change. Until 2007, I was very popular. And now with the situation that Pakistan is facing, my [favourability] graph has again gone up. Because Pakistanis now see what is happening.”

“The poor man is seeing what is happening. Essential items'' prices have gone up about four to five times [since I left office]… People have realized what has hit them. And a lot of people are calling me back, [saying] they want me back to save Pakistan. If you see my Facebook page, which I launched eight months back, I have a fan [base] of 350,000 now today,” he added.

Sharif attacks Zardari, Pak military

Hindustan Times
Pakistan former prime minister and chief of his own faction of the Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif, has warned that Balochistan was "going the same way as East Pakistan" because President Asif Ali Zardari-led government had entrusted the province to intelligence agencies. "No lessons have been learnt,"
Sharif said while addressing PML-N workers convention on the occasion of 104th Founding day of the Muslim League.

He said that the influence of the non-democratic forces in the country was strengthening owing to bad governance and corruption. Sharif asked government to constitute a committee comprising lawmakers to sort out Balochistan issue.

He also strongly criticised the ruling government and the Pakistani military in his speech. 

"Record levels of corruption can be seen in government. It seems that the only criteria for a high-level government appointment is bad character and a crooked past," he said, amidst slogans raised by supporters for a change in the country.

He said that government and its allies "were beneficiaries of a military dictatorship."  He also took credit for the restoration of the suspended judiciary in the country, including the reinstatement of deposed Chief Justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry.

Sharif said that PML-N's support for democratic process must not be construed as backing for 'corrupt' government's survival. We will not be party of any puppetry, he asserted.

Sharif also took former president Pervez Musharraf to task for sabotaging the peace process with New Delhi.

Nawaz, Zardari just-like brothers: Imran

GEO TV

FAISALABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan Wednesday said that covertly Nawaz Sharif and President Zardari are just-like brothers.

Addressing party workers in Jhang Bazar, Imran Khan said if Nawaz Sharif really wants to bring a revolution he should start from himself. Just reciting a couplet of Jaalib won’t trigger any revolution, he added.

The TI Chief said the kind of amount Nawaz Sharif pays in tax, it would not be wrong to say that he should also be given a Watan Card.

He said the politicians should prepare themselves to face civil disobedience campaign if they failed to declare assets and pay taxes.

Imran Khan said he had submitted a petition against drone strikes. He urged the Chief Justice to declare drone attacks as extra-judicial and bring rulers before the court.

Altaf challenges Nawaz for public debate

SAMAA
KARACHI: The Chief of Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Altaf Hussain on Tuesday has challenged the Chief of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for a public debate.

The MQM chief said in a telephonic address to party workers at nine-zero that PML-N chief was trained by the dictators and generals like Zia-ul-Haque and Durrani.

He added that during the government of Nawaz Sharif the Supreme Court of Pakistan was attacked and dishonoured.

Nawaz Sharif indirectly blamed the MQM, a few days ago during his speech in Muzaffarabad, for violence and killings in Karachi.

Altaf pledges reply to Nawaz’s allegations

Daily-Times


LAHORE: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain said that he will soon give a reply to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif’s “mischievous statement” in Lahore, a private TV channel reported on Sunday. In his telephonic address to journalists from Punjab, in Azizabad, the MQM chief said that the youth of Punjab were responsible for Pakistan’s stability. Also, MQM leader Raza Haroon also responded to the PML-N chief’s statement and said that may “God heal Nawaz so that he does not talk irresponsibly”. He said that after the murder of Dr Imran Farooq, no one had been murdered in Karachi.

Nawaz supports Baloch insurgent groups: Musharraf

Daily Times
* Former president says India fuelling insurgency in Balochistan to destabilise Pakistan


LAHORE: Former president Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf blamed Baloch leader Shahzain Bugti for being involved in killings of Punjabis in Balochistan and accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif of supporting Baloch insurgent groups, a private TV channel reported on Sunday.

Speaking in a talk show, the former president, who is also chief of the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), alleged that Shahzain and his cousin Brahamdagh Bugti, another Jamhoori Watan Party leader, were getting arms from India through Afghanistan. He added that New Delhi was involved in Balochistan. “India is also supporting various separatists and insurgent groups of the province and fuelling insurgency to destabilise Pakistan,” he said.

Musharraf claimed that Shahzain was involved in killing Punjabis in different areas of Balochistan, adding that he and other factions had even acquired missiles and anti-aircraft guns to battle the Frontier Corps (FC) and the Pakistan Army. Musharraf also criticised the PML-N’s Punjab government and Nawaz Sharif for supporting Baloch nationalists in their cause, describing it an act of ‘political mileage’. “They (Shahzain and his father Talal Bugti) get state protocol, when they come to Punjab and stay at Raiwind House as guests. Nawaz is supporting them just for his political mileage,” Musharraf said.

To a question about summoning of the ISI chief by a US court, the retired general endorsed the government’s stance, saying, “The ISI chief should never appear before any US court.” “This is impossible, we are an independent country,” he affirmed, adding that summoning of the top intelligence agency official by a US court “is just like the Supreme Court of Pakistan summoning head of America’s CIA”, the channel quoted him as saying.

Zardari writes letter to Nawaz, extended hand of friendship to PML-N

The Nation


Following is the text of the President’s letter to Mian Nawaz Sharif.

I would like to thank you, once again, for your letter of 10th November 2010. In my interim letter of 16th November 2010, I had assured you of a detailed reply to the issues raised in your letter. Let me share with you my response.

Pakistan is passing through one of the most critical periods of its history. As heads of the major political parties we share a great burden of responsibility. Our people expect us to put national interests above partisan ones. They want us to act as statesmen and work together. They want us to fulfill their aspirations. We are answerable to our citizens. Indeed, as I said in my annual address to Parliament, we are all answerable to history.

“Divide and rule, the politician cries; unite and lead is watchword of the wise.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Our parties share a history of common struggle for democracy, especially in the recent past. In line with her philosophy of reconciliation, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed invited Begum Kulsum Nawaz Sahiba to join the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy. The positive response from your side and our collaboration helped the struggle for political freedom in Pakistan.

Honoring BB Shaheed’s legacy, the PPP has continued the politics of reconciliation and inclusion. It was as part of this policy that we invited your party to join a coalition Cabinet. I am pleased to note that senior members of the Pakistan Muslim League (N) were part of the Cabinet when the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) formed the government in 2008. Even now we remain partners in government in the Punjab and continue to work together within and outside the parliament on national issues.

Allow me now to share with you some of the serious challenges facing our country and our attempts to deal with them.

Militancy and extremism pose the greatest threat to our national security. Our citizens have been targeted. Our troops attacked. Our resources diverted. Our economy hurt. We continue to pay a price in terms of lives, image, and money. However, it is important that our resolve is not weakened. We must remain determined to rid our society of this menace. We must fight to the finish. We will follow a policy of dialogue, deterrence and development. Make peace with those who abandon violence. But use force against those who challenge the writ of the State. In this struggle, let me acknowledge the courage, and resilience displayed by our brave soldiers and police, and above all, the people of our country.

Forging a national consensus on the war against militancy has been a significant achievement of our government. This consensus contributed to the restoration of the government’s writ – and subsequent peace – in the Malakand region. We successfully provided relief to 2.5 million IDPs who were re-settled in their homes in just four months.

As you know, our country has been struck by the worst floods of our history. 20 million people have been affected. An area the size of UK has been inundated. Millions of acres of standing crops have been destroyed; 1.6 million homes damaged. The losses have been estimated at over ten billion dollars. This human and economic catastrophe has disrupted our government’s efforts to stabilize the economy and slowed our plans to bring prosperity to our people. In the face of this unprecedented challenge the government has tried to marshal all resources.

All Federal agencies, including the armed forces, the NDMA, the related ministries were mobilized. An international campaign was launched through the UN system and bilateral governments to secure support. Coordination with the Provincial governments was undertaken through the NDMC, the CCI, and other fora. The combined efforts led to the minimization of casualties, prevented the outbreak of disease and helped with successful rescue and relief on an unprecedented scale.

The federal government has taken the lead – and with cooperation of the provincial governments -- in providing support of up to Rs 100,000 per affected family. This citizens’ damage compensation program has been launched through a transparent Watan card mechanism. This has been widely hailed as a model, combining the use of modern technology with local commitment, for transfer of cash to the affectees. About Rs 25 billion have already been distributed in the first phase.

The government has also adopted a program for providing free seed and fertilizer and subsidized credit to the affected farmers to help them in rebuilding their livelihoods and ensuring high levels of production in the coming crop season.

Let me now highlight two landmark achievements of our government, in which the collaboration of our two parties is most manifest. These two achievements are: the restoration of the Constitution to its original purity and the empowerment of the provinces.

The 1973 Constitution remains the symbol of national unity. It was Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s legacy and reflects the will of the entire nation for the rule of law and democracy. It now stands restored through the passage of the eighteenth amendment.

We have also taken historic steps to transfer greater power and resources to the provinces. Functions and Ministries have been devolved from the center to the provinces. The share of the provinces in the divisible pool has been increased from 50 percent to 57.5 percent. In this fiscal year alone three hundred billion extra rupees are likely to be received by the provinces. The foundations of a new Pakistan – more just, more equitable, more harmonious -- have been laid.

We have moved concretely to resolve some outstanding issues related to smaller provinces and regions and to give them a full sense of inclusion in national affairs. We have publicly apologized to the people of Baluchistan for their grievances. Our Government has followed up with tangible constitutional, political, administrative and economic reforms under the package, Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Baluchistan.

Our party’s policy of extending political rights and inclusiveness is reflected in the grant of political representation for the first time to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan. The same spirit led us to promulgate the Political Parties Order into FATA, thus giving the tribal areas greater flexibility in self determination.

The empowerment and emancipation of women was central to BB Shaheed’s philosophy. Our Government’s programs reflect this thinking. The Benazir Income Support Program and Behan Benazir Basti Program are platforms for poverty alleviation focused entirely on women in a way, manner and to an extent that was never seen before.

We have also taken steps to improve the welfare of our workers and given them a stake in the state enterprises. Thus, the worker who toils day and night to ensure that profits are earned is no longer forgotten. The Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme gives the labourer a 12.5 share in the state enterprise where he is employed. To increase the purchasing power of the workers the Government has raised the minimum wage to Rs.7000 and adopted other welfare enhancing measures.

I now turn to the biggest challenges facing us --- that of a burgeoning young population, economic stabilization and turnaround. Let me share with you our efforts, the results achieved, and the collective response required to fully succeed in meeting the economic challenges.

As you well know the economic situation in March 2008, was precarious: the country was faced with a soaring fiscal deficit; GDP growth had slowed down; foreign exchange reserves were under pressure; the current account deficit was out of control; government borrowing from the State Bank was aggravating inflation. The bleak economic scenario then prevailing was effectively articulated by the first Finance Minister of the coalition government, Senator Ishaq Dar. In his analysis of the situation, Senator Dar had also, correctly, pointed out that policy lapses, including the non-adjustment of prices of imported oil by the previous government were largely responsible for this inherited situation.

The seeds of our economic difficulties can be traced to financial year 2005 when inflationary pressures began to surface. The high growth during the middle years of the present decade was based on external flows, a loose monetary policy and an artificially depressed exchange rate. After the oil price shocks the prices of energy were not rationalized, the fiscal extravagance continued and no serious structural reforms were undertaken. In short, we inherited a dismal economic situation. We had hoped to jointly find a way out of this situation. However, after your leaving the government in the Center, we and our other coalition partners have been left to address the economic challenges facing the country.

Given the worsening crisis, our government exercised the timely option of approaching the IMF and negotiated a Standby Arrangement in November, 2008. This move arrested the imminent slide and moved the tangible economy towards stability. Clear signs of recovery became noticeable when growth recovered to 4.1% in 2009 -10. Foreign exchange reserves which stood at $4 billion when we assumed office today have crossed the $17 billion mark. Remittances have increased to $9 billion from $5.5 billion in 2007. We were targeting a growth rate of 4.5% in 2010 -11. However, the untimely floods have slowed our country’s economic recovery.

Inflation, as you mentioned in your letter, is of equal concern to our Government. Inflation affects the well being of our citizens, specially the most vulnerable groups. The main reason for inflation, as you surely know, is the gap between our revenues and our expenditures. This financing gap is met through borrowings from the domestic markets which raise the rate of interest- the cost of borrowing-thus causing inflation.

In one sense, therefore, an unsustainable fiscal deficit is the main reason for our inflation. There are only two possible ways of reducing the fisc.

Sharif prepared for conditional support to PPP-led govt

We are ready to support the ruling PPP if President Zardari implements the CoD
Nawaz Sharif

Hindustan Times
Main opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said his party would be prepared to support the Pakistan People's Party-led government if President Asif Ali Zardari implemented the Charter of Democracy finalised by the two parties in 2006. "All is not lost and the fate of the people of Pakistan can still be ameliorated.

We are ready to support the ruling PPP if President Zardari implements the CoD," former premier Sharif said while talking to reporters here.

His remarks came in the wake of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam's decision to pull out of the PPP-led coalition at the centre following the sacking of one of its ministers by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Sharif said he had written a letter to the President about fighting corruption and implementing the CoD but Zardari had not yet responded to it.

He said any meeting between him and the President on the sidelines of an official banquet for the visiting Chinese Premier in Islamabad on Saturday would be "futile" till such issues were addressed.

He also made it clear that the PML-N would not be part of any "unconstitutional and undemocratic" effort to topple the PPP-led government.

"Dictators go in for unconstitutional ways to oust democratic governments.

We will not prefer personal interests over national interests just to please some people," he said.

Sharif said it was regrettable that the PPP had agreed to form a truth commission for transparent accountability but had later presented a guard of honour to a dictator like former President Pervez Musharraf when he quit office in 2008.