PML-N, Taliban fighting for same causes: Shahbaz Sharif
Updated on Monday, March 15, 2010, 16:25 IST
Lahore: Stoking a controversy, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said the Taliban should not target the province as his party,
the PML-N, and the militants are fighting for the same causes and both had opposed former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.
Addressing a seminar in Lahore, Shahbaz, the brother of PML-N chief and former premier Nawaz Sharif, expressed surprise that the common stance of his party and the militants had failed to stop the Taliban from carrying out terrorist attacks in Punjab Province.
"Gen Musharraf planned a bloodbath of innocent Muslims at the behest of others only to prolong his rule but we in the PML-N opposed his policies and rejected dictation from abroad, and if the Taliban are also fighting for the same cause, then they should not carry out acts of terror in Punjab," he told the seminar held on Sunday.
Shahbaz claimed extremism and terrorism were the result of the "wrong policies" of the Musharraf regime and Pakistan is now paying a heavy price for those policies.
He further claimed the PML-N pursues policies that are not dictated from abroad and the party had taken a forceful stand on the Kerry-Lugar Act because it compromised Pakistan's sovereignty, integrity and survival.
Shahbaz's comments were greeted with surprise and shock by the people, including analysts and commentators.
Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer slammed Shahbaz today, saying the Chief Minister's comments amounted to bowing down before the militants. Taseer said: "This statement has disturbed the whole of Pakistan...it is a shameful statement for all Punjabis."
"The crime rate in Punjab has increased by 40 percent over the past two years. Should we go to the criminals and say don't do anything in Punjab and please loot the rest of Pakistan?" he asked.
Taseer also criticised PML-N leader and provincial Law Minister Rana Sanaullah for hob-nobbing with leaders of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba group while campaigning for recent by-polls.
He also alleged the PML-N-led government had a hand in the release of convicted members of militant groups.
"After the Chief Minister's statement, I have doubts about where the PML-N is going, how they want to do the Talibanisation of Punjab, which people they are in league with...We will not tolerate this," Taseer said.
Noting that Shahbaz had not responded when he recently asked him in an official letter whether he was for or against the militants, Taseer said: "The Chief Minister has given his reply through yesterday's comments."
Commentator Shafiq Awan wrote in the Daily Times: "The Chief Minister's appeal, asking the Taliban not to target Punjab, since both the group and the government have the same views over foreign dictation, has shocked many. I believe his statement will lead to further controversy and that Sindh and NWFP should have serious reservation over it.
The PML-N has repeatedly accused the Pakistan People's Party-led government at the centre of backing the war against terror at the behest of the US and called for a review of policies to tackle militancy and terrorism.
PML-N, Taliban fighting for same causes: Shahbaz Sharif