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| India-Pakistan |
| Nawaz backs demand for Hazara province |
| 2010-04-16 |
| [The News (Pak) Top Stories] Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said the defeated elements were playing politics over dead bodies in Hazara division. Addressing a gathering at the residence of former chief minister and PML-N leader Pir Sabir Shah in Sirikot, Haripur district, he said the PML-N never deceived the residents of Hazara. Nawaz Sharif's surprise visit to Hazara was the first by a major politician after that of PML-Q head Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. However, Nawaz Sharif didn't travel to Haripur city or Abbottabad that are simmering with protests against the renaming of NWFP as Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa and for creation of Hazara province. "If a separate province is the desire of the people of Hazara, the PML-N will support their stance," Nawaz Sharif said. However, he urged the people not to be trapped by the PML-Q leadership's propaganda and shun violence. "We believe in unity and cohesion and people must reject those promoting the politics of separatism," he stressed. He lauded the people of Hazara who always supported him and the PML-N. Nawaz Sharif said he had time and again cautioned the stakeholders not to make the renaming of NWFP conditional to the constitutional amendment package but his warnings were not heeded to. "Confrontation and protests are no solution to issues," he said, adding the government must take steps to redress the grievances of the people of Hazara. He also urged the dwellers of Hazara to avoid certain disgruntled elements who were inciting people to violence to promote their vested interests. On the occasion Fateha was offered for the persons who were killed in the recent protests in Abbottabad. Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Raja Zafarul Haq, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Sardar Mushtaq, Abid advocate and Barrister Javed Abbasi were also present on the occasion. APP adds: The PML-N leader demanded accountability of the elements involved in Abbottabad's tragedy and urged the politicians to play their positive role in bringing the situation towards normalcy and calm. Talking to mediamen after a party meeting here, he said the people of Hazara have given numerous sacrifices for the country and he was there to personally review the situation. He said those who had destroyed the peace of Abbottabad and Hazara, should be taken to task. He said there should be no politics on bodies and urged the PML-Q to avoid playing with the sentiments of the people. Politics on the bodies of those killed in Abbottabad would serve no purpose. Instead it would further deteriorate the law and order, he added. The PML-N chief said he had already made it clear to the concerned quarters that linking Khyber-Pakthunkhwa with the 18th Amendment Bill would complicate the situation. He said in the larger interest of the country and democracy, the PML-N added 'Khyber' with the proposed name of "Pakthoonkhwa" for NWFP. "Had we not offered sacrifice, the package prepared by the Constitutional Reforms Committee after long deliberations would not have been approved and our dream to get rid of the 17th Amendment passed in Musharraf's era would have been faded," he added. |
| Posted by:Fred |