President Pakistan Muslim League-N has said long march cannot be carried out on every issue, and the present government has utterly failed to deliver, but the N-League will not make a martyr out of the PPP once more.
"The bad governance of the PPP government has destroyed the image of democracy, and if the situation called for a long march, I will not resist doing so,” he vowed, while addressing a function to mark international youth day.
Nawaz asserted that his party was playing a very effective role in the parliament and given another chance, it would put the country on the right track. Continuing his charge on the PPP-led government, the PML-N chief said it had put the country's sovereignty at stake, and he knew well that the people wanted to get rid of this corrupt government, but he did not want to make a ‘Shaheed’ out of the PPP one more time and let it bag sympathy vote as it had done always.
Referring to the celebrated Long March for the restoration of the judiciary, he averred that long marches could not be carried out for every issue. Nawaz Sharif claimed that in 1999, before his government was toppled by Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's currency was the strongest among the SAARC countries. “There was no crisis and the country was on the march to development,” he added, while lamenting that the dictator overthrew the elected government that damaged the development process.
PML-N president said every Pakistani was worried about the country's future due to wrong policies of the government, and the PML-N had given the present government a 10-point agenda and if that had been implemented, the country would have been out of the crises. “The younger generation must play its due role for the development of the country. In fact, it is the duty of the youth to lead the country. I will make the future of the country bright with the help of youth,” he pledged.
On the rise in terrorism and militancy, the PML-N chief said if the country would have been progressing under democracy, then this would not have been the scenario. Former premier also said his partnership with youth was need of the hour for resolution of problems, and he was not disappointed with the future of Pakistan. “I faced torture of imprisonment and exile. Even I was not allowed to attend the funeral of my father, but I adhered to the principled politics. Despite this, if I have to do the politics of selfishness, greed and vested interests, then it is better to quit politics,” he maintained, while expressing his confidence that time would come when, like other sectors of the life, the discrimination of class-based education system would be eliminated and equal opportunities of progress would be available to everyone.
Mentioning the economic policies and other development projects of his tenure, Nawaz Sharif said at that time, India was following Pakistan’s policy for the restoration of economy. “Had our two governments given opportunity to complete tenures and not toppled, Pakistan would have become an economic tiger today. Load-shedding, unemployment, price hike, terrorism and extremism are gifts of dictatorship which is not answerable to anyone. But the government came into power through elections also did not deliver. Bad governance is spoiling the image of democracy,” he maintained, while adding that today some people were declaring Pakistan a failed and isolated state, sovereignty of Pakistan was being mutilated, decisions and orders of the Supreme Court were not being obeyed. “Long march for restoration of judiciary was not politics, but it was for the rule of law in the country. Zardari and Gillani were not ready to restore the judiciary, but it was due to the pressure of the people that judiciary was restored. If we had continued long march after restoration of judiciary, then it was a politics,” he maintained.
Nawaz Sharif asserted that his party did not let the government of becoming ‘Shaheed’ but gave full opportunity so that it should be completely exposed. He said the PML-N was playing its due role in the assembly against the corruption and other anti-people policies of present government. “If need be, we will not hesitate to take any political step,” he added, while saying that if the youth were not satisfied with the present politics, then they should come forward and play their role. “The youth of 18 years has the right of vote and track record of all the parties is known to them. Their right decision can change the destiny of the country and the nation,” he said.
He also mentioned, “Today over 70 per cent of Pakistanis are under age 35. Pakistani youth represents a youth boom that has the potential to transform Pakistani nation into a developed & a progressive nation of the world. Young Pakistani people are gifted with open minds and keen awareness of emerging trends; they are bringing their energy, ideas and courage to some of the most complex and important challenges facing the Pakistan. Pakistani youth have strong will power and patience, they often understand better than older generations that we can transcend our religion, politics, and cultural differences in order to reach our shared goals. They are standing up for the rights of oppressed peoples, including those who suffer discrimination based on gender and race. They are confronting complex challenges and they are often the leading proponents of sustainability and green lifestyle.”
He also said the PMLN was committed to working together with youth to expand horizons of opportunity for our young women and men, and answer their legitimate demand for dignity, development and decent work. “If we failed to invest in our youth, then we will fail to realise our true potential. Investing in our young people is the only guarantee for a prosperous future,” he said, while urging the youth to commit themselves for excellence in education and rise above divisions of ethnicity, language, and religion to create a peaceful, united, and developed Pakistan based on the vision of Quaid e Azam.
He lauded the efforts of the Chief Minister Punjab with regard to setting up Daanish Schools and other reforms in education sector and added that the budget allocated during his tenure was unprecedented. He said beside Daanish Schools, attention should also be paid to the standard of other educational institutions.
Nawaz Sharif said he would ask Shahbaz Sharif to also pay attention to the educational problems of blind and other special children.
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