PML-N leader says elements who want to incite clash between Punjab, KPK should be dealt with strictly. No action taken against five judges who removed elected PM. Punjab govt launches ‘Apni Chat Apna Ghar’ scheme in Lahore.
LAHORE - Former prime minister and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Mian Nawaz Sharif Wednesday renewed his criticism of the judiciary and the PTI founder Imran Khan accusing them of conspiring against his government in 2017.
Addressing a check distribution ceremony of ‘Apna Ghar Apni Chat’ scheme in Lahore, the former prime minister launched a fresh salvo against his opponents reiterating his old mantra of why he was ousted from power back in 2017 by the Supreme Court judges.
Nawaz Sharif has had a contentious relationship with both the judiciary and the PTI founder Imran Khan.
In the past also, Sharif has often blamed the judiciary for decisions that led to his disqualification from office, including his ouster as prime minister in 2017. Similarly, Sharif has been highly critical of Imran Khan, accusing him of benefiting from judicial decisions and the support of the establishment to rise to power.
He claimed that the prices of vegetables were affordable and the country was on the path of development in his last tenure in power, but still he was removed under a conspiracy. He said the PML-N government had said goodbye to the IMF but the subsequent government of his opponents brought back the IMF programme again.
“We shook hands with the IMF and said goodbye, but during others’ rule, it returned”, he observed.
He then asked: “What was the reason behind my ouster?” He added that the five judges of the Supreme Court deposed an elected prime minister in 2017 but no action was taken against them.
“Five judges remove the people’s elected prime minister because he did not take a salary from his son. Is this fair? What was the reason for removing him? That he didn’t take a salary from his son?” he asked.
He went on to say: “What a great injustice. I still have Saqib Nisar’s leaked audio where he says Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz must be put in jail, and Imran Khan must be brought to power. What did they accomplish? Nothing!”
Without directly naming Imran Khan, Nawaz Sharif criticised the imprisoned PTI founder, claiming he only believed in chaos and protest. “Just ask him about the 350 dams, the billion tree tsunami, and similar initiatives,” Sharif remarked.
“As you sow, so shall you reap,” he added, addressing the PTI founder. “You once spoke of imprisoning your political opponents”.
Nawaz Sharif further stated that the person now in jail once said he would put a rope around Nawaz Sharif’s neck and drag him out. He then asked the PTI founder: “Don’t make such big claims; learn humility and fear Allah. What you do will come back to you. Whatever you do in this world will eventually come to light.”
Recalling his meeting with the PTI founder immediately after becoming PM in 2013, Nawaz said: “I went to Bani Gala, had a one-hour meeting, and you [Imran Khan] said everything was fine. After that, you went to London. You came back and started a sit-in. What did these sit-ins achieve? Nawaz Sharif was working, the country was progressing, so why was there a need to remove me?” he asked.
He said that the people of Pakistan were equally responsible for whatever wrong has been happening in the country. “Did you ever ask why…when so much good work was happening…I was removed?. Did you ever ask yourself? You didn’t ask. If you don’t take notice, the conditions in Pakistan will remain the same.
He said proud and dignified nations ask such questions.
He said it will always sadden him why this was done to a person who was working for Pakistan. “And the person who didn’t do a single thing…”
Nawaz Sharif complained the pillars of the state did not treat him well. “And they are responsible. I am responsible, and you are responsible too.”
He said the state was like a mother. “If people don’t have a roof over their heads, how can the mother find peace?
Talking about the recent political activity by the PTI in different Punjab cities, Nawaz Sharif said: “When they come, they bring tear gas shells with them..Just like in ancient times when people from Central Asia used to attack Punjab”. He then questioned, “Do you want to incite a clash between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?” Nawaz stressed that such elements should be dealt with strictly. “We didn’t build the motorways for protests”, he said.
Talking about the Punjab government’s scheme to facilitate people to make their own home, Nawaz Sharif said how wonderful it is that loans are being provided for home construction, and no interest is being charged on them. If public governments were allowed to work in this country, not a single person would be homeless today.”
He said he was extremely happy about the launch of this program. This is a very excellent program that Maryam Nawaz has started. He said the people’s money should be spent on the people, and this is the best example of that.
He said that it has been seventy-five years since this country was established. “If work had been done and allowed to be done in this country, if public representatives had been allowed to work, today there wouldn’t be a single person in this country who is homeless. Today, many people are homeless. Today, people don’t have money to build houses”.
He said the PML-N government started this work a long time ago. If you go back to my first term, we initiated many such schemes. After two and a half years, we were removed.
“We came back and were removed again, and then once again. In 1990, we had started this. If that momentum had continued, the world would be looking at us with envy. We take four steps forward and then eight steps back. Tell me, which party has done as much work as the Pakistan Muslim League-N? Motorways were built during the PML-N’s tenure. The economy improved during the PML-N’s era. We kept the dollar stable. PML-N ended terrorism. PML-N ended load-shedding. The Yellow Cab scheme was abolished. PML-N built the first Orange Line in this country.
He turned to his political rival again and said: “Those who talked about the Billion Tree project and 350 dams, where are they? Talking is one thing, but the politics of lies is something else. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be saying that they are coming to fight in Punjab.
What is your scheme and your vision? You should also start all welfare work. People from KP come to Punjab. Come, but ask those who are sitting in jail what they have done for KP. There are no facilities in the hospitals there. Serve the people there.”
He said they were supposed to plant one billion trees, where are they? Where are all the schemes? You will never be able to do this. He said people would follow them like sheep and goats. “Where are the five million houses? Performance is zero, there is only violence, protests, and agitation on the streets”.
Talking about the performance of the Punjab government, he said: “One million people applied for tractors, and five hundred thousand people applied for houses. Fifty-five billion rupees were provided to make electricity cheaper. In the future, we will move towards solar panels.
“A relief of around 50 billion rupees has been given in electricity bills. If that money had not been spent there, it would have been spent on this scheme or gone towards the Kisan Card. Inshallah, in 5 years, loans will be provided for 500,000 houses.”
Nawaz asked which political party or government has done as much work as the Pakistan Muslim League-N has? “Motorways were built during PML-N’s tenure, economic stability came during PML-N’s time. PML-N made the country a nuclear power. PML-N brought the country out of darkness.”
Addressing the launching ceremony, the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said seven hundred billion rupees have been allocated for the scheme which will be disbursed in five years. She said interest free loans up to fifteen lac rupees per person will be provided under the scheme. She appreciated vision of Nawaz Sharif for public service. Maryam Nawaz said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is working tirelessly to serve the public and prices of daily use items are continuously lowering.