BAHAWALNAGAR - Flaying his ouster during an address to a big public meeting at Chishtian, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif Monday declared that now the vote was about to get respect.

"I came straight to Chishtian after appearance before NAB [court], but I felt greatly pleased seeing the crowd here," the former premier told the participants. "Today, I've attended 70th hearing of references against me," he added. "Now the vote is about to get respect," he said, adding that he was sure that Chishtian would be ahead of all in this campaign. He said that he swore upon the people's love that he would work day and night to serve them, if given a chance again. "The one who serves the country is either declared corrupt or a traitor," Nawaz lamented. He claimed that the PML-N government had developed a comprehensive plan for the provision of jobs to unemployed youths. He added that power would remain suspend for 20 hours during the tenure of previous governments, claiming that the PML-N government had taken effective steps for bringing an end to power crisis. "The PML-N government also ensured concrete measures to end the menace of terrorism in the country," he stated, adding that it also established a network of roads, universities and medical and girls colleges. He said that the PML-N, with public assistance, would form the government again and provide all basic facilities of life, especially the justice to the masses at their doorstep. He also promised to request Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif to upgrade Dehranwala tehsil to district level.

Prior to him, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz addressed the public gathering saying that Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif served the entire country, including southern Punjab. "PML-N opponents do not have a single public issue based on which they could do politics," she said, giving example of terrorism and load-shedding. "They brought corruption as an issue, but Nawaz was disqualified on Iqama (employment contract)."

Maintaining that not a single-penny corruption had been proven against the ousted premier, the former first daughter said on Monday as well, Nawaz Sharif spent four hours recording his statement.

"Pakistan is our home and Nawaz, who thrice became the prime minister, is an elder of this home," she said.

"And if man of a family points out something in good faith, then it should be listened to," Maryam added. She claimed that the PML-N government had added 10,000mw electricity to the national gird. She said that the PML-N had won all the by-elections, and adding that the masses would re-elect the PML-N in the next general election. She appealed to the participants to vote the PML-N in 2018 general election no matter how bad would be the circumstances. She also made them shout "give respect to vote".