Pakistani nation is my real 'asset': Nawaz

MUHAMMAD SALEEM

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Mian Nawaz Sharif Thursday said that Pakistani nation is his real "asset" and his agenda is to bring the country on the path of progress and prosperity and to get a dignified status in the comity of nations.

"I approached the Supreme Court of Pakistan on memo issue for the sake of Pakistan. Power does not matter for me because I am waging a just struggle to get respectable status for the country," he said while addressing a ceremony held here to distribute keys of Yellow Cabs among jobless youth of Lahore under the Punjab Rozgar Scheme.

The PML-N President maintained that he moved a petition in the Supreme Court to unearth conspiracy behind memo issue. "Facts and truth need to be unfolded on memo issue," he said.

He said those levelling baseless allegations must see their own faces. "An amount of Rs 115 million of Sharif family is still outstanding against the Government of Pakistan. Tell us from where we should get this amount," he questioned. He added that Musharraf during his rule failed to unearth any wrong on his part. Nobody enquires from them when we were in exile, he said. "We sacrificed for the country but ironically baseless allegations are being levelled in talk shows," he said.

Nawaz complimented Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and his team for saving millions of rupees as a result of negotiations with the company supplying the cabs. He said Rs 57,400 and 44,700 were reduced in respect of Bolan and Mehran vehicles, respectively as a result of negotiations, he said. He said the federal government has not supplemented the Punjab government efforts aimed at providing respectable livelihood by providing yellow cabs. He said about 20,000 Yellow Cabs had been received and more vehicles would be purchased for distribution among the unemployed youth.

He said only those nations achieve the goal of progress and prosperity, which work hard. Ironically, he said begging bowl has been taken by the government, which is an insult of the nation. The government should give up the habit of begging for aid from outside world, he added.

The PML-N president regretted that baseless allegations are being levelled to get political mileage. He said media should take notice of efforts aimed at maligning others through baseless allegations.

Earlier, Nawaz Sharif gave keys of Yellow Cabs to the unemployed youth. On the occasion full-throated slogans were raised in favour of Nawaz Sharif.

It may be noted that as per 2011-12 budget document of the Punjab government, 20,000 locally made up to 800cc yellow cabs will be provided to the educated unemployed youth on easy terms. This will cost Rs 4.50 billion. The share of south Punjab will be 40 percent. The budget shows allocation of Rs 2 billion for giving Rs 20,000 interest-free loan to each of the 100,000 educated or skilled youth.