Nawaz Sharif says Army must pledge not to violate Constitution

London (PPI): PML-N Chief and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Tuesday said that Army must pledge not to violate the Constitution again and said July 31, 2009 judgment of 14-member larger bench of Supreme Court was ``a landmark in the country's history.'' ``It is for the first time that PCO judges have been practically relieved. The apex court's verdict is self accountability by the judiciary which is a laudable step and will have far reaching effects. I faced courts but never appeared before PCO judges,'' he noted while addressing PML-N workers in London. Nawaz Sharif said the government and the parliament should take action against Pervez Musharraf under Article six of the Constitution. Those who violated or abrogated the Constitution should be punished. ``Pervez Musharraf was made hero by giving him guard of honour when he left Presidency after resigning in August last year.'' He felt the country's integrity is fully safeguarded by rule of law and supremacy of Constitution and not by possessing nuclear weapons. He vowed PML-N would continue its struggle for the rule of law, supremacy of Constitution, independent judiciary and free media. The 170 million people are the masters of Pakistan, he declared. He said load shedding was a curse for which Pervez Musharraf was entirely responsible as he (Musharraf) did nothing during last eight years for overall betterment of the country. The military dictators were not responsible to anyone for their misdeeds but now since the country was moving towards democratic rule they (military dictators) should be made accountable, he demanded. PML-N Chief said wars with India always took place during tenure of military dictators like 1965 war in Ayub Khan rule and 1971 war when Yahya Khan was in power. He said if martial laws had not been imposed in the past, the country would have achieved all-round socio-economic development. Today, Pakistan is ``economically weak,'' he observed. Nawaz Sharif recalled in his tenure then Indian Prime Minster Atal Bihari Vajpayee in official visit to Pakistan in early 1999 extended hand of friendship for peace, respect Pakistan's sovereignty and agreed to sit on table to resolve Kashmir issue. He said Pakistan become a nuclear power during the tenure of a democratic government. ``We must learn a lesson from the past and eliminate black sheeps from our ranks,'' he emphasized.