Nawaz Sharif rejects Kerry-Lugar bill, wants govt to adopt self-reliance plan

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Irfan Bukhari

ISLAMABAD: Rejecting the Kerry-Lugar bill in its present form, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday demanded that the government form a parliamentary committee to devise a national action plan to ensure economic self-reliance.

He was addressing a press conference after chairing a party meeting. The former premier said, “The national action plan should be devised to get rid of the curse of begging forever and the proposed parliamentary committee should legislate for foreign loans and aid.”

Nawaz also announced a committee, led by Senator Ishaq Dar, to come up with recommendations on the proposed plan.

“The Kerry-Lugar bill has many clauses which are against our national security and dignity,” he said, adding that the US administration had safeguarded its national interests in the bill while the government of Pakistan had failed to do so. He said, “I am satisfied that my party has fulfilled its national duty on the bill.” He said the government had not taken any party into confidence on the bill.

To a question, Nawaz said Saudi Arabia had not barred him from contesting by-elections. “The government of Saudi Arabia should not be dragged into Pakistan’s political affairs,” he said.

For the first time, Nawaz did not call for former president Pervez Musharraf’s trial under Article 6 of the constitution at a press conference.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_14