TI report shows PMLN govt curbed corruption effectively: Nawaz

GUJRANWALA: Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif, citing the Transparency International (TI) report, claimed on Saturday that the PMLN government curbed corruption effectively during its previous tenure.

Addressing a political gathering in Gujranwala, he quoted the TI data, which reflected Pakistan’s improvement in its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). Last month, the watchdog revealed that the country was ranked 133 out of 180 countries during the Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition government, compared to that of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Imran Khan-led rule wherein the country was ranked 140.

Without uttering any names, Nawaz took a jibe at the PTI, which for years had claimed to eliminate corruption, and said: “[Even] Transparency International said that corruption was at its lowest during our tenure. They [PTI] were staging sit-ins [while] we were establishing power plants,” the three-time former prime minister said while recalling the 2014 sit-in by then Khan-led party.

Recalling his tenure as the prime minister from 2013 to 2017, Nawaz claimed that the PMLN government not only succeeded in tackling corruption but also effectively addressed rampant inflation. “No one present here in this gathering would be unemployed if our government had continued its term. People are struggling to pay their electricity bills,” the PMLN supremo said while promising to bring back the country’s glory if he was voted to power again.

He said the PTI was making a storm on social media claiming that the youth were with them. “But the real youth of Pakistan are sitting in front of me,” he added. Addressing the youth, he said “you should not be afraid; we all will not take rest until Pakistan stands on its feet again”.

He regretted that the PTI government abolished each and every project launched by his government. He said the country was making progress during his time, hospitals and motorways were being built, plants were being set up to eliminate loadshedding, and the stock exchange was at 54000. The growth rate was at 6pc, and CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor] was brought to Pakistan, he added.

Former chief minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif said during the period of Nawaz Sharif, 15,000-megawatt electricity projects were launched, children were given educational services and laptops, a medical college was built in Gujranwala and a university was built in Gujrat, and it was a great story of development.

He said if Nawaz Sharif was given another chance, he would distribute laptops and educational services to students again.