PML-N quits federal cabinet; Ministers to submit resignations today Nawaz says party not to sit on opposition benches

PML-N quits federal cabinet; Ministers to submit resignations today Nawaz says party not to sit on opposition benches

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 “The PML-N ministers will meet the prime minister today and hand in their resignations,” he told newsmen after chairing a meeting of the party’s central working committee and parliamentary party at the Punjab house.

Nawaz was flanked by PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Raja Zafarul Haq, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and other party leaders. Nawaz said: “For the time being, our parliamentarians will not sit on the opposition benches in the National Assembly.”

He said his party would not become part of any conspiracies or tool of any force to support dictatorship and destabilise democracy. “We will extend support to the federal government on issue-to-issue basis,” he emphasised.

Replying to a question, he said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar would also resign.Answering another question, Nawaz said the PML-N had left it to the PPP leadership whether or not to retain their ministers in the Punjab government.

“The PPP leadership conveyed to us that their ministers will remain part of the Punjab cabinet,” he said. To a question, he said the PML-N would be part of the lawyers’ movement for the restoration of the sacked judges. “We will seek support from students and other segments of the society on this issue,” he said.

He said the PML-N was committed to restoring all those judges who had challenged the unconstitutional steps of a dictator with dignity, honour and respect. “Should we struggle for those judges who had challenged a dictator or those who succumbed to dictator,” he questioned.

He said they would continue their struggle for the restoration of the deposed judges to pre-Nov 3 position. “We would not forget our national role,” he said. Nawaz said it would be a big tragedy if the judges were not restored as this issue relates to the survival of Pakistan. “This is the most important issue in the 60-year history of the country and I hope the judges would be reinstated one day,” he maintained.

He said the PML-N joined the federal cabinet on a single point: that was to restore the deposed judges and despite reservations its members took oath from a dictator. “We agreed to joining the cabinet with the condition that the judges sacked on Nov 3 will be restored within 30 days of the formation of the government through a resolution in the National Assembly but I regret to announce that the pledge could not be honoured,” he said.

Nawaz said the restoration of the judges was a basic point in the PML-N manifesto but he regretted that the coalition government could not restore the judges even by the extended deadline of May 12.

He said they do not accept those judges who were appointed through an unconstitutional order by a dictator, saying it was an insult and contempt of the judiciary. To a question about any American pressure on the judges issue, Nawaz said neither they take any external pressure nor there was any American pressure on this issue.

Nawaz maintained that the PML-N did not seek any foreign consultations on this issue. “We would take our decisions according to national interest and do not accept pressure of any foreign power,” he said.

Giving details of their talks with the PPP leadership, he said three days before the deadline of April 30, a team of PML-N leaders was sent to Dubai to meet Zardari who was already there in connection with his personal engagements.

Later, he said he himself proceeded to Dubai and it was decided that a resolution would be adopted in the National Assembly on May 12 and the judges would be restored on the same day through an executive order.

He said he was also authorised to announce the outcome of the Dubai talks on reaching Pakistan. But, Nawaz regretted, later some complications surfaced and the ultimate objective could not be achieved.

Referring to the May 12 unrest in Karachi last year, he said a bloody drama was staged on that day and Pervez Musharraf termed that tragedy a show of power. He regretted that not even an FIR was registered against those responsible for killing of dozens of innocent people.

PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif said the coalition partners committed in the Murree Declaration to restore the deposed judges. He said the PML-N stance is very clear that only those judges should be restored who declined to take oath under the PCO and those who took oath under the PCO should be excluded.

End.