LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday that unfortunately Pakistan is not independent economically; while "an atomic power cannot live with a begging bowl".
While addressing a ceremony held in connection with Pakistan's Independence Day here at the PML-N Secretariat, Shahbaz said that the nations with weak economies are not independent. "We all have to work hard to make the country economically strong, otherwise coming generations will not forgive us," he said, adding: "If we can become an atomic power then we can break the begging bowl and for this we would have to work hard. Now is the time to break the begging bowl to get respect in the comity of nations."
While talking about the progress made by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and the strength of Afghan currency, he questioned that where does our economy stand today.
Shahbaz said: "Political revenge in the name of accountability is dangerous; the bureaucracy has stopped working. There relations between the judiciary and other institutions must base on mutual trust while the political institutions need to be effective and strong."
Talking about Kashmir, he lambasted the Indian government led by Modi for resorting to worst type of oppression in the valley. He said that Pakistan must play its effective role for the cause of the Kashmiris. "We need to raise voice for the Kashmiris by involving the Muslim Ummah and the world community. Peace in the region is not possible without the resolution of the Kashmir issue. It is our obligation to play our role in practical terms to help the Kashmirirs to get freedom," he said.
Expressing concern over soaring inflation and miseries of people, Shahbaz said: "Salaries were not increased this year due to the pressure by the International Monetary Fund (IMF); inflation has soared owing to the Coronavirus; and load shedding, which had been ended completely in 2018, has resurfaced due to the inaptness of incompetent government.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020