Musharraf urges political stability, reconciliatory approach to face challenges
ISLAMABAD
:
President Pervez Musharraf urged political stability and a reconciliatory approach to tackle some of the most serious
challenges the country was facing since its birth, 61 years ago. “Pakistan needs political stability and without that we
cannot confront either terrorism nor the nose-diving economy,” President Musharraf had said at the Azadi Show -
Independence at the Aiwan-e-Sadr late Wednesday night.
“The investors have to be brought back,” Musharraf said and urged the nation to resolve their differences and to follow the
slogan of Pakistan First in letter and spirit.
“The nation has the resilience to serve the country, make it stronger and take it forward,” Musharraf told the jampacked
banquet hall at the President House.
The President said that it was a time for introspection and analyze as to where the country was heading to?
“We are in the midst of the most difficult period of our history”.
He said Pakistan’s internal and external enemies wanted to destabilise the country.
“They are hatching conspiracies against state institutions. We have to stand up against them and the nation has to rise
like they did in 1947.”
“This country has come here to stay and will with the grace of Almighty Allah be here for all time to come,” President
Musharraf said and amidst loud applause stressed that all this can be done only if the nation has the unity and the desire
to surmount all problems.
The President said the country had a strong military to protect its ideological and geographical frontiers.
“There is a need, however, that the nation and the army stand as one, and with this oneness, the country can achieve its
full strength.”
The President who was in high spirits and earlier exchanged greetings with the large number of invitees hailing from all
walks of life at the show held against the backdrop of an impeachment move by the ruling coalition.
President Musharraf said the strength of a country depended on a strong economy and its military.
“Pakistan’s military is strong and it will safeguard this country forever,” the President said.
“However, there is an urgent need to arrest economic decline, stop the flight of investment and the loosing value of Rupee
that has plunged to a parity of Rs 75 a dollar.”
The President strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a PAF vehicle near Peshawar and said a handful of terrorists were
maligning the name of the great religion of Islam.
The President also strongly condemned the gross human rights violations in the Indian Held Kashmir and pointed the killing
of 22 innocent civilians and Sheikh Abdul Aziz.
“I strongly condemn it,” the President said and prayed for eternal peace for those who were martyred.
“Kashmir is the heartbeat of every Pakistani, it runs in their blood,” he said.
The President who received a standing ovation both at the beginning and end of his address said the beautiful green and
white flag was fluttering across the country; signifying a oneness; that needs to be emulated in the practical life of all
Pakistanis.
He said the struggle for an independent country began way back in 1857 to get liberated from the colonial rule.
He said it was the vision of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and the Aligarh Movement that led Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah to
create a separate homeland; that reflected moderation, enlightenment and a desire to make progress in all areas.
“Independence is a great blessing and we must be grateful to Allah Almighty for granting us a sovereign, independent
state.”
The enemies of the State from the day one wanted the country to collapse, but the nation has the strength to stand up to
any challenge, the President said.
The grand Azadi Show comprising folk, national and motivational songs was attended by a large number of people from all
walks of life.
These included Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Chairman Senate Muhammadmian Soomro, Chairman Joint
Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Tariq Majeed, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed, Chief of
the Naval Staff, Admiral Muhammad Afzal Tahir, senior editors, anchors, intellectuals, elite of the city, Governors of
Sindh, NWFP and Baluchistan, political figures mostly from PML(Q) and MQM, Abdul Sattar Edhi, federal secretaries, former
military chiefs, Chairman PTV, scholars, parliamentarians, Senators and MNAs.
Chief of the Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani could not attend the show due to his engagement in the Kakul parade.
