Daily Times

KARACHI: Sticking to his measured approach on civil-military relations, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday shied away from endorsing the khalai makhlooq refrain made popular as a euphemism for powers-that-be by his elder brother.

Asked about the role of the khalai makhlooq (aliens), he said didn’t know anything about any such creatures. He said he only knew about djinns because they were mentioned in the Holy Quran.

The PML-N president’s discussion with a group of journalists focused on a range of issues including water crisis and Karachi’s development needs.

Sharif announced that if elected into power again his party would complete construction of Bhasha Dam as a priority.

“I have come to Karachi now and will make my home here,” he said, while interacting with journalists.

The PML-N president said he was in support of a national unity government, even if his party won simple majority in the lower house of the Parliament following the next election. However, he added quickly that this was his personal opinion and the final decision rested with the party’s executive council.

Sharif said he was not in favour of comparing the outgoing provincial administrations, but adding that he could talk about the performance of his own government only, while the PPP should be asked about its term in Sindh.

He said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had given Rs 19 billion for Karachi’s green line bus project and yet the project remained incomplete.

Later in the day, Sharif held a meeting with delegations of minorities’ representatives and the Youth Business Forum.

On the issue of water scarcity, Sharif said it was adamant that Pakistan tackled the issue and avoided the possibility of relying entirely on India for its water needs.

He underscored the need for construction of more dams. “If we continue to depend on India for our water needs, we will be destroyed,” he said. “We need to construct more dams. Mian Nawaz Sharif’s government has bought land worth Rs100 billion for Bhasha Dam.”

On the Kalabagh dam, the PML-N president said debate on the issue was pointless until all parties evolved a consensus on the matter.

“It is among the most important projects but not important enough to put the national integrity in jeopardy. We will focus our energies on building the Bhasha Dam,” he said.

On the issue of minorities, Sharif said that the constitution of Pakistan gave equal rights to every citizen regardless of their religious beliefs.

As the PML-N president proceeded with his two-day visit to the city, issues pertaining to miscommunication between the central and provincial chapters of the party came to limelight on Tuesday.

Karachi leaders of the PML-N told Daily Times that they were not made aware of the party president’s schedule. They said the central leadership had rejected a list of events and guest provided by the provincial leadership because the former wanted to entertain specific journalists in contact with it. Ultimately the central leadership prevailed and the list sent by party spokesperson Maryum Aurangzeb was used to send invites to the media persons’ gathering.

Senior journalist Abdul Jabbar Nasir said that it appeared that the party lacked workers in Karachi to deal with the media that was why Rana Mashud was doing the job. “PML-N Karachi media cell is being run from Punjab,” he added

Before starting his campaign in Baldia Town, Sharif had announced the name of Ali Akbar Gujjar as the president of the Karachi division.

Published in Daily Times, June 27^th 2018.