PMLN paid price for saving Pakistan from default: Nawaz

LAHORE: PMLN supremo Nawaz Sharif said on Monday if the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) coalition government had not saved the country from default, petrol would have been sold for Rs1,000 a litre today.

He was speaking to the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz consultative meeting participants through video-link from London. He said: “We have paid the price for saving Pakistan from default, and we have given this sacrifice sincerely for our country.” He claimed that the PMLN would emerge successful in the upcoming elections.

Nawaz Sharif alleged that General Bajwa, General Faiz and former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar were responsible for the present state of affairs of the country. He said some damages could be overcome in life but some not. “Today the poor is craving for bread. Who brought the country to this state,” he questioned and regretted that today people were worried about two-time meal. However, he recalled that in 2017, when he was in power, it was not the case. Then cheap flour, ghee and sugar were available, he said adding that today poor were getting heavy electricity bills and they did not know how to pay those bills.

PMLN Senior Vice President and Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz, addressing the consultative session, said people would accord a historic welcome to Nawaz Sharif on October 21, and bury the ‘dramatists’ of Panama and Iqama forever.

PMLN Vice President Hamza Shehbaz, General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal, Punjab President Rana Sanaullah Khan, former members of the National and provincial assemblies from Punjab and ticket-holders, party officials of all divisions and districts attended the meeting.

Maryam briefed the meeting about preparations regarding return of party supremo Nawaz Sharif on Oct 21, 2023. A central facilitation control centre has also been set up at the party’s main secretariat to coordinate arrangements for Nawaz Sharif welcome, she announced.

Maryam also shared details of the preparations and organisational cooperation at the constituency, ward, division, district and tehsil levels.

Hamza Shehbaz said, “Nawaz Sharif made Pakistan a nuclear country; but today it has been turned into a beggar country, which is a matter of shame for all concerned.” He said people would secure the future of their children by making Nawaz Sharif prime minister of Pakistan again.

“Nawaz Sharif becoming the prime minister means reducing the scourge of inflation,” Hamza said and added that people would welcome Nawaz Sharif for development and prosperity of the country.

He said the nation should ask the question why inflation happened after Nawaz Sharif’s tenure? Nawaz Sharif gave relief to people, then who brought miseries to them, he asked.

Former federal minister Ahsan Iqbal told the meeting that Pakistan was the fastest growing economy of Asia from 2013 to 2018 under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. He said Pakistan’s development process was stopped through a conspiracy. He said it was a conspiracy not only against Nawaz Sharif but also against development of Pakistan, CPEC and friendly countries. Ahsan said a strong mandate of people would be helpful in ending effects of conspiracy against Pakistan.

Former interior minister Rana Sanaullah said Nawaz Sharif’s politics revolved around Pakistan’s development and people’s happiness. He said conspiracy against Nawaz Sharif was actually a conspiracy against the people and Pakistan. He said a few characters were hurt by the progress of Pakistan; so they conspired against Nawaz Sharif. “If the Nawaz Sharif government had not been toppled, inflation would have been done away with until now,” Sanaullah claimed and added that if a conspiracy had not been hatched against Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan would not have been forced to beg today. He hoped the nation would support Pakistan’s development agenda by welcoming Nawaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif left London for Pakistan on Monday after spending a month there. He held multiple meetings with Nawaz Sharif during his stay in London.