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Journalism of Courage
Nawaz Sharif,seen as the front-runner in Pakistans election race,said he would not allow militant groups to attack India from his country and would work to improve ties with rival New Delhi if elected.
If I become the prime minister I will make sure that the Pakistani soil is not used for any such designs against India, Sharif told CNN-IBN in an interview.
Despite recent strains,India and Pakistans relations have improved after nose-diving in 2008 when gunmen killed 166 people in Mumbai in a three-day rampage that India blamed on a Pakistani militant group.
Sharif,who was prime minister twice in the 1990s,said it was time to improve ties between New Delhi and Islamabad. We have issues of course which need to be resolved and I think I can quote you a lot of examples where rivals or people opposed to each other,countries opposed to each other have resolved much difficult problems than we have, he said.
Sharif,who has been critical of military meddling in civilian affairs,said he would call for a joint investigation of whether Pakistani intelligence agencies played any role in the Mumbai attack. I will take up this matter. Certainly this matter will have to be taken up, Sharif said.
According to opinion polls,Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) is expected to win Saturdays general election after capitalising on the failure of the outgoing Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to tackle everything from power cuts to a Taliban insurgency.
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan,who has formed his own party,Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI),has become one of Pakistans most popular politicians and could be a major partner in a coalition government,analysts say.
The poll comes after a civilian government has for the first time completed a full-five-year term. But whoever wins will inherit enormous problems. One of them will be managing a difficult relationship with India.
PML-N mascot white tiger dies
A white tiger that was a show-stopper at several PML-N poll rallies died on Wednesday due to prolonged exposure to heat. Media reports said the tiger was spotted at rallies addressed by PML-N chief Nawaz Sharifs daughter Mariam Nawaz. The tiger was brought unconscious to the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore on Tuesday evening. The vets there tried to revive the animal but to no avail. The animal died this morning,the reports said. PTI
