PML-N leader addresses Muslim Students Federation convention n Says Pakistan would be left in ruins without counting Nawaz Sharif’s services n Urges youth to rise above negativity.
LAHORE - Senior vice-president and chief organiser of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Maryam Nawaz Sharif Wednesday reflected on her period of imprisonment and her father Nawaz Sharif’s controversial removal from power through a judicial decision during her speech at a Muslim Students Federation convention. She also highlighted her father’s contributions to public service during various terms in office, emphasising that without Nawaz Sharif’s service, Pakistan would be left in ruins.
Maryam recounted her own five-month incarceration in death penalty cells, where she found strength in her father’s support despite her perceived vulnerability. She shared her determination to be her father’s strength, reassuring him that despite their opponents considering her a weakness, God would empower her. She recalled enduring around two hundred court appearances with her father, even leaving her dying mother’s bedside to go to Adiala Jail. Maryam emphasized her resilience in prison and her father’s emotional response during her arrest.
Maryam described the harsh conditions of her solitary confinement, where she couldn’t distinguish between the prayer area and the bathroom. She highlighted the lessons she learned from her trials, including newfound appreciation for simple meals like dal roti. She mentioned her refusal to request B-class accommodations, despite being eligible as a taxpayer, in adherence to jail rules. Maryam spoke about the challenging conditions, such as limited access to a fan during extreme heat, which she endured without complaint.
Maryam emphasized Nawaz Sharif’s nine-year record of public service, spanning from Karachi to Khyber, covering Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. She stressed that neither she nor her father sought revenge against their detractors.
She pointed out that those who conspired against Nawaz Sharif couldn’t face the public today. She highlighted the dire state of the country when Nawaz Sharif took office in 2013, with 20 hours of load shedding and a one percent growth rate.
Under Nawaz Sharif’s leadership, Maryam stated that Pakistan experienced zero load shedding and significant economic growth, reaching a 6.1 percent growth rate. She noted that for four years, the exchange rate remained below 100 PKR per USD, and the stock market saw impressive gains. Maryam alleged that a conspiracy was orchestrated to hinder Pakistan’s development, as Nawaz Sharif was perceived as an obstacle to certain interests. She condemned his removal and expressed the nation’s dissatisfaction with the subsequent economic challenges. She criticised the five-member bench responsible for Nawaz Sharif’s removal, blaming them for the country’s economic woes, including inflation and electricity bill burdens.