ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that Pakistan would have been a member of the G-20 if the pace of development he had started was not stopped in 2017 and described those as the “big culprits” of the country who brought Imran Khan into power.
In his address to the PML-N parliamentary party meeting at the Parliament House, Nawaz Sharif said that he has been witnessing such situations for the last 23 years, shedding light on his party’s previous tenures.
He also referred to the events in the past before he was removed as the Prime Minister in the Panama Papers case. “Are those judges even able to face anybody, today? Saqib Nisar (the then chief justice) gave the verdict against me. Where is he, today? They tagged me as Sicilian Mafia. But let me ask them what wrong had I done,” Nawaz Sharif asked. “They harmed the country and not Nawaz Sharif by giving the verdict against me,”
Nawaz says will overcome economic challenges
Nawaz Sharif said that in 2013 they levelled the same allegations of rigging but the then the Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk rejected those allegations. “They (PTI) will keep on the same allegations all the time like they did in the past,” he added. “We always tried to give you due respect and we will give you the same in the future,” he said while responding to the allegations of rigging by the PTI.
He also asked his party’s elected members not to give any heed to these accusations, saying they are “habitual” and they would continue to remain abusive, as well.
Nawaz Sharif shed light on the development projects, from energy projects to development of Gwadar Port and the road networks. “We would have reached the G-20 if the pace of development was not stopped in that time,” he claimed.
“Those who brought him (Imran Khan) to power are the big culprits of Pakistan,” Nawaz Sharif maintained. He also appreciated Shehbaz Sharif for his 16 months in power, saying that he pulled the country out of the crisis in a very difficult situation.
Nawaz Sharif said that the major problem of the people is inflation. He said the coming one to two years would be difficult and hoped that Pakistan would come out of the difficult situation in up to two years.
“Pakistan is facing multiple ‘wounds’ and together will relieve the country from its wounds through good intention,” he added. He also stated that there is a need to give relief the masses in electricity and gas bills.
“In such situation, I believe that Shehbaz Sharif is the best choice,” Nawaz Sharif said and formally declared Shehbaz as the candidate for the office of the Prime Minister and Sardar Ayaz Sadiq as Speaker National Assembly.
Further, criticising PTI and its leadership, the PML-N Quaid stated that he was the first to visit Imran Khan in hospital when he got injured during an election rally in the past and his party had to suspend the election drive for 24 hours.
He also referred to the PTI’s sit-in protest in 2014, adding that after a week he had met Imran Khan in his Bani Gala residence, his party announced the sit-in protest following the “London Plan” along with Tahirul Qadri. He said that he kept on working from the Prime Minister’s Office despite advices from his aides to vacate it following the violent protests.
However, addressing the parliamentary party meeting, Shehbaz Sharif claimed 104 elected members of the party are in attendance at the meeting. He also thanked all the party’s elected members, as well as, those independents, who joined the party. He said that the independents reposed confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and joined the party.
Shehbaz Sharif also criticised President Arif Alvi and accused him of violating the Constitution twice for refusing to summon the National Assembly session.
He said that they would take all steps to steer the country out of the prevailing challenges. “It’s a journey of blood, sweat, and sacrifices”, he added.
The meeting also adopted a resolution reposing confidence in the leadership of Nawaz Sharif and paid tribute to his political struggle. Through the resolution, the party vowed to steer the country out of the prevailing challenges under the leadership and guidance of Nawaz Sharif. The resolution was moved by Shehbaz Sharif.
Talking to journalists informally prior to the meeting, Nawaz Sharif expressed optimism that the forthcoming coalition government will fix the economy and bring it back on track.
He said that everything is linked to the economy and once the economy is fixed then everything will be alright.
He also expressed confidence that the new government would put the economy back on track. “Insha Allah, the PML-N-led government will not only improve the economy but will also improve the political situation,” Nawaz Sharif said.
Responding to a question, the PML-N Quaid also dispelled the impression of any political instability in the country, adding that there is no political instability in the country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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