LAHORE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that Imran-led government had angered China, which is the closest friend of Pakistan and has always helped in difficult times. “The CPEC was put into cold storage but we are making efforts to restart the CPEC projects,” he said while talking to media here at the PML-N Secretariat Sunday.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar and Azma Bukhari were also present. The PM said that Saudi Arabia and UAE were also not happy with Pakistan. To a query, he said that the United States was a superpower and his government wanted good relations with her on equal footing.

When asked about the return of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif said the PML-N supremo would return to home as soon as doctors allow him to travel. Regarding cases against Nawaz Sharif, he said these are pending in the courts which will decide the same.

To a query, the PM said the PML-N’s way of politics does not support personal attacks against anyone. We do not believe in revenge but law would take its due course against those who committed any wrong, the government would not interfere in such cases, he said.

When asked about Imran Khan’s ‘long march’ to Islamabad, he said what this laadla (spoiled child) would get by marching on Islamabad. He did nothing in his nearly four years of government except causing manifold problems for the country and countrymen. He said Rana Sanaullah has devised a strategy to deal with PTI’s long march.

Answering a question, Shehbaz Sharif said that the date for fresh elections would be announced after consultation with the allies of current government. He said that PML-N and its allies may join hands for the next elections. He said electoral reforms are necessary before elections; we will invite the PTI for electoral reforms whether they come or not.

He further said the government is working selflessly to provide relief to the masses and results would start appearing soon. He said that the challenges that Pakistan is facing now have never been seen before and Pakistan will face the biggest budget deficit in history. The former government reduced oil prices without consulting that is a violation of IMF agreements, he said, adding: “There was abundant electricity in the country but a power crisis arose due to inefficiency.”

To another query, he said there will be improvement in hospitals and waste management.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022