The other day, while in Murree, in a detailed exclusive meeting with the PML-N Parliamentary Party leader in the Senate, Senator Irfan Siddiqui, the former three-time Prime Minister and Party Supremo, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, discussed the crucial linkages among law and order, foreign investment, the country’s development and the nation’s prosperity. During the meeting, the PML-N Supremo called for a national consensus to tackle gigantic challenges and expressed full support for mercilessly crushing terrorists. At this defining moment, our nation needs to stand by the defence forces to address these multifaceted challenges.
The PML-N stalwart, Mian Nawaz Sharif, was adamant that the defense forces and security agencies should be fully supported by Pakistan’s powerful nation of 250 million people to completely eradicate and uproot terrorism from every corner of the country. Emphasizing the pivotal role of security, the Supremo advocated unwavering support for the armed forces and security agencies in their anti-terrorism endeavours. The PML-N President in the meeting urged veteran Senator Irfan Siddiqui that the Parliament being supreme forum of the representatives of 250 million people of Pakistan can play an active and effective role in the elimination of terrorism from the country. The PML-N Supremo is of the view that elimination of terrorism from the country is a national objective and to achieve this complex goal all the parliamentarians will have to join hands and pull up the socks. The Supremo’s words have come on the heels of the country’s top military commanders slamming opposition to vision and decision of Azm-e-Istehkam, noting that the unwarranted criticism of the vision by PTI (SIC) and JUI-F and the deliberate misrepresentation for mere furthering personal vested interests.
Senior PML- N leader Senator Irfan Siddiqui in a meeting told this writer that the PML- N President also had expressed serious concerns over elements active to destabilise the country and tarnish its image on international level. The PML- N stalwart Nawaz Sharif argued that cricketer-turn-so-called politician, has no genuine stakes in democracy and the nation’s welfare. Continuing discussion with Senator Irfan Siddiqui with heavy heart, the PML- N Supremo highlighted country’s past achievements about inflation, loadshedding and terrorism. During his previous term (2013 -17) Nawaz Sharif as prime minister successfully tackled all those odds which have resurfaced once again.
Recalling his last term (2013-17) as Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif told Senator Irfan Siddiqui that Pakistan had successfully controlled inflation, eliminated loadshedding and bid farewell to IMF bailouts. Stock Exchange was doing extremely well. Ratio to GDP was showing positive indications. Balance in imports and exports was made possible for the first time. The country was well on track but then miscreants like Imran Khan and Tahir-ul-Qadri were brought with quite unnecessary 126 days sit-in at Jinnah Avenue in front of the Parliament House. Derailing developmental momentum of the country sit-in conspiracy badly shuffled and shattered democracy, resultantly bringing back worst level of terrorism, inflation, loadsheing, poverty and dependence on IMF once again. The then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who brought the country to safe harbour was unjustly removed from premiership in July 2017. Seven long monstrous and destructive years have passed leaving back wreckage and debris everywhere in the country. This is July 2024 where again we are wondering like a stray. Thrown the country and the nation in dark ages seven deadly long years have passed. Here the question arises who is responsible for this undue halt and downfall of our country and the nation? Has anybody any answer?
During the extended discussion, the Supremo lamented the significant setbacks since 2018, saying they have created severe difficulties across multiple spheres. These setbacks will take considerable time to rectify, but will be rectified provided we stand firm. During the meeting in Murree, Senator Irfan Siddiqui presented the Supremo a comprehensive report on the parliamentary party’s performance in the Senate, reaffirming the PML-N’s commitment to address the nation’s pressing issues and striving for a stable and prosperous future.
On June 22, an Apex Committee of the National Action Plan meeting, chaired by Premier Shehbaz Sharif, has very rightly approved operation Azm-e-Istehkam to eliminate terrorism and extremism across the country. The next day of Premier’s announcement, the PTI (SIC) and JUI- F declared their opposition to any military operation and demanded that the military leadership take parliament into confidence first. The government has clarified that ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ would not be a kinetic operation. Soon after the announcement of the new operation, PTI-turned-SIC & JUI-F have not only strongly reacted to the decision but vowed to create resistance if any new operation was launched in the country. The PTI (SIC) and JUI – F’s reckless rhetoric is not only inflammatory but also has endangered the fragile peace and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
—The writer is author of several books based in Islamabad.
