A confrontation is looming between the Pakistan government and Opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, who is bent on leading a countrywide "Long March" to press for the restoration of sacked judges. The trigger was an overnight crackdown on politicians and lawyers across Pakistan. Raids were conducted and senior PML-N leaders were arrested. Even Tehrik-e-Insaaf chief Imran khan wasn't spared. The intention of the ruling PPP was to halt the Long March for an independent judiciary by lawyers on Thursday. Nawaz Sharif spoke to CNN-IBN and allayed fears of the army taking over. Read on...
CNN-IBN: There was a huge gathering at Abbotabad on Wednesday led by you. At the same time there has been a crackdown on the leaders of your party, PML-N. Could you tell us whether you have been given information that you will be arrested as well?
Nawaz Sharif: This is what we have been hearing from different channels and different sources tell us that it is very much on the cards as we are the big targets for Zardari. They have already picked up a lot of our workers and the number is increasing by the hour. They have the names of all our leaders on their list. They put our chairman under house arrest early this morning. It's very sad.
CNN-IBN: Is there a possibilty now of the army taking over in Pakistan?
Nawaz Sharif: No, there is no possibility of the army taking over in Pakistan.
CNN-IBN: Arrest orders have been taken out against Tehrik-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan and there are rumours that your brother Shahbaaz Sharif could be arrested next. What is the next plan of action?
Nawaz Sharif: Right now we are supporting the march announced by lawyers on March 16 and we will participate in it. The government has already taken measures to lock highways and main bridges which lead towards Islamabad since there has been a crackdown. They have also laid down barbed wire around Islamabad and cordoned off the city - all this to prevent the marching people from enterting Islamabad. They are also taking control of all the transport so nothing is available for the lawyers and the people who want to march into Islamabad.
CNN-IBN: The government is accusing you of plunging the country into anarchy. How do you defend these charges against yourself?
Nawaz Sharif: I think the country has been plunged into crisis by Zardari. It was Zardari who got the judgement from the Supreme Court which declared that Shahbaaz Sharif and me were ineligible to contest elections. Not stopping here, he further went and imposed Governor's rule in Punjab province. There was no break down of law and order or provincial government for him to impose Governor's rule. Till about two weeks ago, everything was fine - it was more than fine. Actually the problem started on February 24 when the judgement was pronounced by the Supreme Court, a court which is not recognised by people across the country and a judgement which was condemnded by every Pakistani across the country. A survey carried out in the country shows that 58 per cent of the PPP is also rejecting the actions of Zardari and 77 per cent of the people of Pakistan reject his actions.
CNN-IBN: Information Minister Sherry Rehman says that the PPP is reaching out to the PML-N for a reconciliation?
Nawaz Sharif: There is a credibility issue about and a massive trust deficit in the ruling party. This is just another way of buying time - by engaging us into fruitless dialogues and talk. We have heard nothing of a reconciliation and it has been nearly two weeks.
CNN-IBN: You are doing the same thing to Zardari as you were doing to Musharraf, but you don't seemed to have moved forward at all.
Nawaz Sharif: I am not doing the same thing to Zardari as I was doing to Musharraf. Actually Zardari has not fulfilled his promises, has not hounoured his committments. He had signed an agreement to restore the independence of the judiciary which was taken away by Musharraf on November 3 2007. Zardari fails to abide by that agreement. Benazir Bhutto signed a charter of democracy with me three years ago, but Zardari has failed to implement that charter of democracy till date and it's been a year since the PPP government has been in place - so who is responsible? Zardari or me?
CNN-IBN: The fact is that democracy was re-established in Pakistan just a year ago. Do you think what you are doing is the right step towards democracy?
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Nawaz Sharif: I think the status quo will be more damaging for the country. We have to arrest this situation and rectify the wrongs that have been done. We have to put the country back on the road to democracy. We want to strengthen the institutions of this country.
CNN-IBN: Don't you think this will give the army an opportunity to takeover? You are participating in something which can completey turn the democratic process over.
Nawaz Sharif: I don't agree with you. I think whatever we are doing is for a noble cause. It is a very noble mission and we have got to ensure that this mission is accomplished.
CNN-IBN: Will you be asking for the reinstatement of the judges including the Chief Justice of Pakistan?
Nawaz Sharif: He is the symbol of the independence of judiciary. He and all those judges thrown out of office unconstitutionally have to be reinstated and the nation today is united on this.
CNN-IBN: There are rumours that the rift between President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani is growing and at some point in time the President may take over the Prime Minister's post. Have you heard about this and what indeed are you proposing to do?
Nawaz Sharif: I don't know if there is any rift between them, but there is hardly any possiblity of the President doing away with the Prime Minister. In order to remove the Prime Minister, the President has to move a motion of no-confidence against the Prime Minister and I don't think that is possible under the present circumstances.
CNN-IBN: Is the chaos in Pakistan opening doors for the US to intervene now in Pakistan's domestic matters?
Nawaz Sharif: We are trying to put our own house in order. We do not allow any other country to interfere.
CNN-IBN: Will the march on March 16 actually go ahead in view of the crackdown?
Nawaz Sharif: Well, the struggle will continue, the struggle will reach its logical conclusion and will turn out into the reinstatement of judges, a soverign parliament and a rule of law to be established in this country after a long time. It will also end in the reinstatement of democracy as it was in October 1999 when my government was in power.
CNN-IBN: Are your doors still open for talks with President Zardari?
Nawaz Sharif: Yes why not.
CNN-IBN: At your rally on Wednesday, you said Zardari is compromising Pakistani interest to US and India - are you dragging India into Pakistan's internal politics?
Nawaz Sharif: No, no what I said was that tension was mounting at the border and Zardari must act wisely to defuse this tension. And I have been saying this for a long time. Pakistan must go that extra mile to show the world that we are serious about tackling terrorism and all those people who were found involved in 26/11 should also be properly interrogated and we should do it in a transparent manner.
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