ATTOCK - PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has said that during the last five years rule of his party Pakistan was put on the track of development. He said that 11,000MW electricity was generated, sick industry was revived and peace was restored across the country.
He said this while addressing a big public gathering in Pindigheb on Thursday. On the occasion, PML-N candidates for NA-56, PP-1, PP-2, PP-4 and PP-5 which included Malik Sohail Khan, Sheikh Salman Sarwar, Jahangir Khanzada, Chaudhry Sher Ali Khan, Malik Bahadur Yar Khan and other notables of the area were present. Meanwhile in an interview with a foreign newspaper, Shehbaz said if he became prime minister he would reset fractious relations between the civilian government and the army.
In Pindigheb, Shehbaz said Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz had been put in jail because they served this country. He said Nawaz Sharif made this country an atomic power and launched mega projects like CPEC which would bring a revolution in the area, adding its western corridor was passing through Pindigheb and other areas of the district. He urged the people to vote for PML-N for the development of the country and their prosperity.
Coming hard on the PTI chief, he said Imran Khan has nothing to do but to hurl allegations on others. He said Imran Khan ruined KP and now wanted to ruin rest of the country. He said Imran Khan was a great liar and its ample proof is that now the Peshawar High Court in its verdict had proved corruption in Peshawar metro bus project. He claimed that in Punjab health and education facilities had been made better, farmers were provided with interest-free loans, 11,000MW electricity was generated and peace was restored in the country.
Shehbaz Sharif claimed that if voted to power again he would bring Pakistan at par with Turkey and Malaysia. He promised to provide gas facility to all the villages of Attock district while an industrial state will also be established in Pindigheb area. He urged the people to vote for PML-N candidates for the better future of Pakistan and its people. However, PML-N candidate for PP-3 Attock Malik Asif Ali did not attend the gathering over differences with local PML-N leaders.
Monitoring Desk adds: Shehbaz promised to reset fractious relations between the civilian government and its powerful army should he become prime minister after next week’s election. Shehbaz told the Financial Times his country needed to “move forward” after a year of feuding between army generals and his brother Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted as prime minister on corruption charges last year.
Shehbaz said: “This country must go forward, and where the military leadership needs to be consulted, we will consult them.” He added that he would work with the army on key parts of foreign policy, such as relations with Afghanistan and India, in what amounts to a notable softening of tone from his party.
Responding to a question, Shehbaz said there had been “blatant discrimination” against his party but when asked who he believed was behind the attempted manipulation, he replied: “Don’t ask me an unfair question, I cannot comment” — a reticence again suggesting he wants to dial down tensions with the military.
Although he said the charges against his brother were “a joke” for which there was “no evidence”, he also refused to follow others in his party by blaming the army for mounting a conspiracy against his family. “If others say [the army is to blame], let them come forward and say it publicly. I will not comment on that,” he said. He added he would not seek a presidential pardon for his brother should he win next week.
“Nawaz Sharif has done nothing that would require a presidential pardon. We believe in the rule of law, and we believe in the appeals process. Let the law take its course.” In an apparent reference to Pakistan’s history of military dictatorship and weak civilian rule, Shehbaz said: “This country was way ahead of other countries in the neighbourhood in the 1960s. Unfortunately we lost our direction along the way — but we cannot keep crying about that, it won’t help at all.”