Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that democratic system and corrupt rulers are two different things and democracy should survive at any cost, as it is the name of public service. He said that issue of contempt of court was between the judiciary and the government and the decision of the Prime Minister to appear before the court was welcome.
He said that the court's decision was the outcome of severe confrontation of the last three and a half years, following of a collision course with institutions, bad governance and the worst corruption. He said that President Asif Ali Zardari looted billions of rupees of public money and deposited them in Swiss banks. He said that government had itself to blame for the present situation. He wished that the judiciary had not been scoffed at and its decisions been respected.
He was talking to media at Allama Iqbal International Airport here on Tuesday before leaving for Berlin (Germany) to attend the International Green Week. Member National Assembly Hamza Shahbaz Sharif and Member Provincial Assembly Sheikh Alauddin were also present on the occasion.
Replying to different questions, the Chief Minister said that the situation in the country was the making of the government itself. He said that Supreme Court issued orders on NRO a number of times but no attention was paid rather they were ridiculed. He said that there was no threat to democracy if one spoke against corrupt and inefficient rulers.
He said that democratic system should survive at any cost. He said that it was an open secret that the billions of rupees deposited in Swiss banks had been looted from Pakistan by Asif Zardari, which had caused anger and anguish to the whole nation. Replying to a question, he said that he had said in his statement that Prime Minister should apologise to the nation and not to the Army Chief.
He said that he was going to attend the International Green Week in Barlin(Germany) where a large number of progressive farmers from Punjab would also be present and a stall of agri items of Punjab was also being set up in the fair. He said that during his visit to Germany, he would not only meet experts but would also hold meetings with German authorities for increasing co-operation in different sectors. He said that preparations had been made for participation in the green week for the last one-year to introduce Pakistani agri produce in the international market.
He said that Punjab government was implementing a comprehensive programme for the development of agriculture sector, promotion of agri technology and production of high quality agri items. He said that Star Farming project had also been introduced at a cost of Rs 2 billion under which training had been imparted to cultivators and experts. He said that Germany had made unparalleled progress in agri sector and the participation of progressive farmers in the fair would provide opportunity to benefit from expertise of Germany.