Jhelum/RAWALPINDI - Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday urged the nation to ask the Supreme Court as to why he was disqualified with a single stroke of a pen if there were no corruption charges against him.

Addressing a big crowd in Jhelum, he said that 200 million people elect a prime minister with the power of ballot but dictators and judges oust the elected prime ministers.

The former prime minister said that only five judges in a single stroke of pen disgraced the vote of millions. Taking pauses to grasp the emotions of crowd, Sharif said “this is a disgrace to the people”.

“Why I was removed? I want to ask it because I brought investment in the form of the CPEC,” Sharif said. “This is a big insult to a democratically elected prime minister and the sacred ballot,” said Sharif while speaking from a bulletproof container.

Police and personnel of law enforcement agencies provided foolproof security to the former premier and other participants of the rally.

Publicly blaming the judiciary for his removal, the former PM also said that people while standing in queues poll their votes. “And judges tearing that ballot return it to the people’s hands,” he said.

“Will you accept it?” he asked the public arousing slogans in his support. “No, we don’t,” the crowd responded. He also said that judges legitimise dictators’ acts and remove civilian leaders.

Speaking from behind the bullet-proof dice, the former premier reminded the people of Jhelum that he visited them in 2013 to seek their support to steer the country out of crises such as loadshedding, unemployment, terrorism and economic crunch.

“The people of Jhelum had expressed their confidence in me and voted for me,” he said, adding that he put the country on track to development and prosperity by building motorways from Peshawar to Karachi, ending loadshedding, bringing opportunities of employment and constructing hospitals. Sharif said that he fulfilled all the promises he had made with the people of Jhelum during his previous election campaign.

The former premier said that he was not disqualified over corruption, or taking kickbacks or embezzling funds but he was stripped off from the prime ministership for not drawing a salary from his son’s firm.

He said that he was going home in Lahore. “No father takes the salary from his son’s company. And if I did not withdraw the salary from my son’s firm, who are you (judges) to ask me for,” he said.

“Don’t you think this is a big insult to the public mandate? It has been happening for last 70 years with elected prime ministers of Pakistan. People elect them and dictators and judges send them home through illegal means,” he said as the crowd thunderously responded by raising slogans in his favour.

He said that he had nothing to do with the Panama Papers. He said judges in their verdict accepted that Nawaz Sharif was not corrupt but despite that, they deprived him of his office.

The former prime minister said that “you” (PML-N workers) should be proud that corruption was not the reason for “my” disqualification.

The ex-PM said there was no judge or court in Pakistan which has the courage to punish dictators for violating the Constitution and imposing martial laws.

“Former dictator Pervez Musharraf abrogated the Constitution and imposed the emergency but he was allowed to flee the country,” he said.

Sharif said that he has not come in the middle of people for his restoration but he wanted to change the system and restore the respect for the public vote.

“The people of Pakistan sent me to the corridors of power in Islamabad but ‘Islamabad-walas’ sent me home,” he said while referring to the Supreme Court judges.

The ousted premier said his government restored peace in Balochistan and Karachi, besides building roads and other infrastructure in several areas, bringing a change in people’s lives.

“The separatists in Balochistan wanted to align with others but I made them come back and unarmed them. The PML-N set up a coalition government there to end public miseries,” he said.

He said that PTI chief Imran Khan and PAT chief Tahir ul Qadri halted the process of development and prosperity by staging sit-ins and levelling baseless allegations against his government. He said that he was punished for putting the country on the path of rapid development.

Nawaz Sharif said there should be across-the-board accountability.

He lamented that no Pakistani prime minister was allowed to complete his constitutional term. He said this exercise should come to an end now and asked the people to support him in this regard. He said that the country’s future was not bleak but he was worried about the youth of the country.

Tens of thousands of PML-N supporters raised intermittent slogans in favour of their leader. They were holding placards, banners, and his portraits.

After addressing the rally, the ex-PM dashed into a private hotel for the night stay.

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique announced the rally would resume its journey for Lahore today (Friday) at 10 am from Jhelum Bridge.

Earlier, an overwhelming crowd stopped the pacing convoy of former premier and he had to deliver a short speech there.

“It seems the people of Deena have also rejected the court decision like the people of Rawalpindi,” said Sharif while speaking from his vehicle. He said it was a disgrace of people’s mandate when their elected PM was removed from power in this way.

He pleaded the people for their support to make a new Pakistan. “Pakistan of 2017 is better than that of 2013,” he said.

“I will never forget the love the people of Deena have given me,” he said, asking the crowd, “Do you accept the court decision?” The people shouted ‘no, no, no’ in response.

PTI, PAT ‘ANTI-DEMOCRATIC FORCES’

Nawaz Sharif on Thursday called Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) ‘anti-democratic forces’ and ‘pawns’ on the chess board against democracy in the country.

The former PM said this during his informal chat with media persons during the rally.

“I do not consider PTI and PAT as democratic forces,” he said.

Earlier in his speeches at Jehlum and Rawalpindi, the former PM severely criticised the role of both political parties. He said that these forces wanted to halt economic development of the country.

“Whenever we talk about progress these parties come and stage sit-in in the country,” he said.

Nawaz Sharif also criticised the dual nationality of PAT chief Tahir-ul-Qadri. “He took oath of the British queen and makes hurdles for the poor Pakistanis,” he stated this during his speech in Rawalpindi.

Sources said that PML-N leadership is mulling to extend Nawaz’s arrival date in Lahore to August 13.

The option is under consideration to counter the upcoming joint political show of PTI and Awami Muslim League (AML) in the provincial capital.

The former prime minister said that “you” (PML-N workers) should be proud that corruption was not the reason for “my” disqualification.

The ex-PM said there was no judge or court in Pakistan which has the courage to punish dictators for violating the Constitution and imposing martial laws.

“Former dictator Pervez Musharraf abrogated the Constitution and imposed the emergency but he was allowed to flee the country,” he said.

Sharif said that he has not come in the middle of people for his restoration but he wanted to change the system and restore the respect for the public vote.

“The people of Pakistan sent me to the corridors of power in Islamabad but ‘Islamabad-walas’ sent me home,” he said while referring to the Supreme Court judges.

The ousted premier said his government restored peace in Balochistan and Karachi, besides building roads and other infrastructure in several areas, bringing a change in people’s lives.

“The separatists in Balochistan wanted to align with others but I made them come back and unarmed them. The PML-N set up a coalition government there to end public miseries,” he said.

He said that PTI chief Imran Khan and PAT chief Tahir ul Qadri halted the process of development and prosperity by staging sit-ins and levelling baseless allegations against his government. He said that he was punished for putting the country on the path of rapid development.

Nawaz Sharif said there should be across-the-board accountability.

He lamented that no Pakistani prime minister was allowed to complete his constitutional term. He said this exercise should come to an end now and asked the people to support him in this regard. He said that the country’s future was not bleak but he was worried about the youth of the country.

Tens of thousands of PML-N supporters raised intermittent slogans in favour of their leader. They were holding placards, banners, and his portraits.

After addressing the rally, the ex-PM dashed into a private hotel for the night stay.

Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique announced the rally would resume its journey for Lahore today (Friday) at 10 am from Jhelum Bridge.

Earlier, an overwhelming crowd stopped the pacing convoy of former premier and he had to deliver a short speech there.

“It seems the people of Deena have also rejected the court decision like the people of Rawalpindi,” said Sharif while speaking from his vehicle. He said it was a disgrace of people’s mandate when their elected PM was removed from power in this way.

He pleaded the people for their support to make a new Pakistan. “Pakistan of 2017 is better than that of 2013,” he said.

“I will never forget the love the people of Deena have given me,” he said, asking the crowd, “Do you accept the court decision?” The people shouted ‘no, no, no’ in response.