‘­Deserters were never companions’

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said the lawmakers who had left the PML-N, were never the party members and they didn’t even vote in favour of the Political Parties Act which enabled him to assume the office of the party head after his disqualification.

“They were a part of 10 to 15 people who did not vote for me," he said, talking to the media outside the accountability court after attending the hearing of the Avenfield reference against him.

Earlier, Nawaz told reporters inside the courtroom that a person like Imran Khan entering politics was not a good omen. To a question why he accepted such turncoats in his party, the ousted premier said they came on their own and would be gradually removed from the screen. “They will find no place.”

Nawaz said they were keeping an eye on the people leaving the party the other day. “Such turncoats defame politics. This kind of people change parties every now and then. When a dictator comes, they join him and when a political government is established, they also join that too. I am hopeful that the people in 2018 elections will vote for the tiger,” he said.

About the members from southern Punjab leaving the party on the issue of a separate province, Nawaz wonderedseparate province, Nawaz said such an idea had come to their mind after five years in the government, adding that they probably came across some “revelation”.

“In the same fashion, some ideas had been revealed to the PML-N members in Balochistan, who also changed their loyalties,” he noted. When asked whether the smaller provinces were a hurdle in the creation a south Punjab province as new provinces could also emerge from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in that case, Nawaz said they had accepted reduction of Punjab’s share in National Assembly seats.

“Nine National Assembly seats were decreased from Punjab but we didn’t make it an issue and accepted it with a national spirit. Only national level parties could do so and I think the smaller parties should also behave in the same manner. There should be give and take on the basis of principles,” Nawaz said.

He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif carried out record development work in southern Punjab and the victory in Lodhran by-election reflected the trust in the projects launched by the PML-N.

The three-time prime minister said those who minted billion of rupees without any development projects were roaming around free and nobody was holding them accountable. The Nandipur Power Project delayed for many years with billions of rupees wasted and there was a clear mention of former PPP federal minister Babar Awan in that, he recalled.

“We tried to work for this country and it is the reason we are facing the courts. The Neelum-Jhelum power plant had to be completed in 2004-05 but the two previous governments failed to complete this project. Yesterday, the first turbine of the project started functioning,” Nawaz said.

For instance, he said, billions of rupees had been spent the Kashmir Highway project in Islamabad without any result. “When we assumed the government, we directed to execute the project and also constructed overhead bridges. Now the Metro Bus project alongside this road is near completion. And the new Islamabad Airport project that had been lingering on for years has just been completed during our government,” he added.

Talking about the NAB references, he said everything was being examined by his lawyers who were detecting lies. “These are fraudulent and fabricated cases and the reason I said that the proceedings should be shown live was to let the nation understand the truth,” Nawaz stressed, saying “We hope that the decisions will be made on the basis of justice”.

At this, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, who was sitting beside him, in a lighter vein said on the basis of justice, not the justice party [Tehreek-e-Insaf]. Nawaz once again reiterated that the Supreme Court’s July 28, 2017 judgment created chaos and anarchy in Pakistan which saw an economic decline.

To a question about the missing persons, he described it as a crime against humanity. The parents and children of the missing persons were going through a painful time as they did not know whether their loved ones were alive or dead, Nawaz added.

When asked about the book of Chaudhry Shujaat, Nawaz said he would be able to comment after reading that through. When Nawaz was informed that Imran would also be appearing before an anti-terrorism court in the same premises around 1pm, he remarked, “We would be sitting here till 1pm then.”

Replying to a question that being convicted by courts was nothing new for him, the former prime minister responded that he was after all a human. Maryam Nawaz intruded, saying why after every ten years the court convictions come around Nawaz. Addressing his father, she said, “If you could have had remained idol during the last five years, nothing could have had happened.” At this, Nawaz asked, “Could we see the umpire’s finger for five years?” To which Maryam said moving to the direction of the finger.