In case more money was needed for their rehabilitation, he said the prime minister should take it from the same fund which was at his own disposal. Mr Sharif said this at a news conference he held following a meeting with Sindhi leader Mumtaz Ali Bhutto after arriving here on a four-day visit, aimed mainly at reaching out to the countless flood-hit in interior Sindh.
This is his second visit to Sindh in the recent weeks.
Mr Sharif was of the view that instead of making appeals for financial assistance to the international community, Pakistan should rely on its own resources. He said the prime minister had Rs 29 billion in his discretionary fund, which was a huge amount, sufficient to help those displaced by the worst-ever flooding in Sindh. ?And this is the easiest way to help the poor?.
The prime minister had given a call for international help a few days ago and on Sunday the United Nations launched an appeal for $365 million for the flood-hit in Pakistan. Mr Sharif said he had given the suggestion as the prime minister had asked him to come up with some idea to help the flood-affectees.
About the Karachi situation, he said the directions given by the Supreme Court should be followed to restore peace in the country?s biggest city. He believed that the measures proposed by the apex court would help restore normalcy, after which no further steps would be required.
The PML-N chief was of the view that criminals responsible for disturbing peace in Karachi should be brought to justice. These people, he said, had already been identified by the Supreme Court and now they should be put on trial without delay.
He said expediency or ?mutual back-scratching? approach should not hinder the process of justice.
?We?ll not let anyone disturb peace in Karachi?.
He was critical of the policy of large-scale nationalization pursued by the government of the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and said the economic condition of the country would have been much better if such a disastrous decision had not been taken. Pakistan would have been much ahead of other countries in the region, he said, highlighting the adverse effects of the said policy.
He regretted that as a result of wrong policies of the rulers, Pakistan was today much behind the countries of the region.
He reiterated that billions being wasted on various state institutions could be saved through proper policies and steps. Only this single step would save the country billions and trillions of rupees which could be used for the welfare of the people, he emphasized.
He said the government had not reformed even a single institution during the past three years.
Asked as to what should be the timeframe for fresh elections, Mr Sharif said President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani could answer the question better.
However, he said, he wanted the change of governments through elections alone.
Mr Sharif said if a government was not performing, it should step down voluntarily. But, he said, it was deplorable that there were ministers and advisers in the present setup who had received huge amounts through corrupt practices and then returned the same, but were still sticking to power.
The PML-N chief said if the situation like the one prevailing in the country had been there during his tenure, he would have held fresh elections almost a year ago.
When a reporter asked if he was afraid of the United States, the former prime minister reminded him that many countries had pressurized him in 1998 not to go for nuclear tests, but he had don e what was in Pakistan?s interest.
?Our past is known to you. We don?t accept pressures?.
Mr Sharif and Mumtaz Bhutto said they would continue to cooperate with each other.
Mumttaz Bhutto said the government had not helped the flood victims last years and was doing nothing for them now.
He alleged that the rulers had left the people helpless.
Later, at an interaction with journalists in the evening, Mr Sharif said a national agenda should be evolved by all political parties and whichever government comes to power should implement it.
The said the proposal should have come from the government. However, he regretted that the rulers did not do so.
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