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PML-N is NAB’s sole target: Shahbaz

By Bureau report
July 21, 2018

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif on Friday said his party was being pushed to the wall by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Speaking at a press conference here, he also accused the Punjab caretaker government of targeting the PML-N. He complained that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had become a silent spectator in the prevailing circumstances.

Shahbaz Sharif said that electables were parting ways with the PML-N under pressure from the NAB. He complained that senior party leaders were attending courts while their rivals were eating cakes and pastries.

The PML-N chief alleged that the Punjab government was following the instructions of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as the caretaker home minister was an activist of the PTI. He alleged that the Punjab chief minister was following anti-PML-N and anti-democracy agenda.

He said that the NAB was targeting the PML-N and calling its leadership on various pretexts to pave the way for the victory of a particular party. The PML-N would win the election and form government in the Centre, in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he added. The former Punjab chief minister said that peaceful PML-N workers were manhandled on July 13 and cases were registered against them under terrorism law when they staged rallies to welcome their leader Nawaz Sharif.

He said that Nawaz Sharif left his ailing wife in London and accepted court verdict that sent him and his daughter behind the bars.

The entire world witnessed the mammoth rally to welcome Nawaz Sharif, he added.

Shahbaz Sharif said despite television channels blacked out PML-N’s rallies under pressure from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), the entire world saw the commitment and love of party workers for their leader.

He said the PML-N workers expressed their emotions very peacefully and did not resort to any kind of violence despite the fact that Nawaz Sharif was not allowed to meet his ailing mother. “Our workers and leaders did not break even a flowerpot as we are the builders of the country and not the destroyers,” he added.

Shahbaz Sharif said his party wrote a letter to the ECP and caretaker prime minister to take notice of the cases against PML-N workers but they also remained silent spectators.

He said the people had realised the true face of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan who was busy leveling allegations and using derogatory language against his rivals and that was the reason the people were not attending his public meetings.

Hoping that his party would win the election, Shahbaz Sharif said Imran’s recent public meetings were a total failure. He said on the other hand, the PML-N workers were actively running the election campaign.

Shahbaz Sharif added the PTI was trying to befool the people by telling lies. He said the PTI showed a private hospital, Rehman Medical Institute (RMI), in its advertisement to deceive the people.

He challenged Imran Khan to announce developing Lahore, Karachi and Quetta on the pattern of Peshawar if he had really developed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Shahbaz Sharif said ensuring free, fair and impartial election was must for materialising the dreams of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

He said that pre-poll rigging should be stopped by bringing all the relevant institutions on the same page.

The PML-N, he said, would win the election and make Pakistan a real welfare Islamic state, adding that India had developed its institutions but even then it was afraid of Pakistan because of its nuclear capability.

“We have to break the begging bowl by proving that Pakistan is a nuclear country and can stand on its own feet,” he said and added that mega uplift schemes would be initiated on pattern of Malaysia and Turkey to overcome poverty and unemployment.

He also talked about different development projects launched by the Nawaz Sharif government in the country, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, motorways, Gwadar port, hospitals, and educational institutions.

Earlier, Shahbaz Sharif visited the Bilour House to offer his condolences to the Bilour family over the death of Haroon Bilour.

Amir Muqam and other senior leaders were also present.

Earlier, Shahbaz Sharif while addressing a workers convention in Mingora said that Imran Khan had failed to honour the pledges made with the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the 2013 general elections.

He argued that the PML-N government generated 11,000 megawatts electricity while the PTI-led provincial government failed to produce a single unit of electricity.

Shahbaz Sharif alleged that the contract for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project was awarded to a blacklisted company.

“The cost of the project has exceeded Rs68 billion and the Peshawar High Court has also ordered a probe into the matter,” he added.

He said the former PTI-led provincial government defaced Peshawar city. “I pledge to develop Swat and Peshawar like Lahore if voted to power,” Shahbaz Sharif said

The PML-N chief added that Swat would be turned into a tourist resort to attract local and foreign tourists.

He said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Pakistan to save the country.

“Nawaz Sharif arrived in Pakistan on July 13 leaving his ailing wife on the ventilator in London,” Shahbaz Sharif said and added that deposed prime minister did all this only for the supremacy of democracy and wellbeing of the people of Pakistan.

Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan was not Punjab only as it also included Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

“We will build a state-of-the-art hospital, medical university and schools, if voted into power," Shahbaz Sharif said.

Speaking on the occasion, PML-N provincial President Amir Muqam said that Shahbaz Sharif was contesting election from NA-3 on the request of the people of Swat.

He maintained that Shahbaz Sharif would be the next prime minister and put the country on the path of progress.

Amir Muqam asked Imran Khan not to use the surname "Khan" as it meant honour and dignity.

He added that the people of Swat suffered due to militancy, flood and earthquake in the past. He maintained that Shahbaz Sharif was capable of developing this scenic valley.