Charter of economy: Maryam doesn’t agree with Shahbaz’s stance

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz has said she does not approve of the idea of a charter of economy, floated by his uncle and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif.

Addressing a press conference at party’s secretariat here on Saturday, she announced the PML-N would never enter into any deal with the government. She said signing the charter of economy with the ‘incompetent’ prime minister would amount to giving him an NRO (a deal), adding that anyone who would assist the falling government in the name of a charter would be deemed a criminal in the court of people and the country’s history. The PML-N leader claimed that party supremo Mian Nawaz Sharif is also against any charter of economy, urging the opposition should not become a partner of the fake government by helping it on the economy front. Maryam said those who came to power through evil acts should be made an example for the nation so that nobody could dare play dirty games with the country again. She said instead of giving an NRO to the fake rulers, they must be held accountable for their crimes against the nation. Maryam said Shahbaz Sharif is the leader of the opposition and his patriotism is beyond any doubt. He talked in the Parliament for signing the charter of economy, but it was meant for making the parliament a supreme institution. She said there is democracy in her party, and personal opinions also hold value. But for those who destroyed economy, ruined businesses of the people, came to power through stealing votes, and crashed the stock exchange, would not be supported in this manner. To another question, she said the narrative of her father and hers is the same, adding that she is unaware of those matters which were before Shahbaz Sharif while presenting the idea of the charter of economy. She said the final decision in this regard would be taken by Nawaz Sharif.

Maryam said a commission should be made on the use of foreign loans, but it must not start from 2008 but from 1999, and must not include members of the ISI and the MI, as these national institutions must stay away from such investigations. She asked why the rulers are maligning the security institutions, like the ISI and the MI by dragging them into these commissions, which are being constituted for political victimisation. She said the prestigious national institutions should stay away from politicising themselves, and all investigations must be held within the scope of law. She said no political party should appear before such commission, announcing that her party members would not become part of the investigation. She said maximum foreign loans were obtained by the ‘incapable’ prime minister, who took Rs52,000 billion loan within just 10 months, which is the record increase in loan volume in the 70 years history of the country. She said the PML-N took Rs10,000 billion in five years and it has large number of projects to show where those loans were spent, including Tarbela, Neelum-Jhelum, Katchi canal and 1700-km motorways. Maryam said the incapable prime minister claimed planting billion trees, Peshawar metro, new dams, five million houses and 10 million jobs, but none of them was fulfilled.

Maryam asked when did she criticise the army as an institution. She wondered why some elements were bringing a bad name to the security institutions, and asked ‘If they had enough courage, they should come out forward.” She said the heads of those institutions must think over it and decide that they must stay away from political matters. The PML-N vice president said the country must be run under the law and rules. She said for her, the constitution of Pakistan is the most sacred thing after the Holy Quran. She said the proposed All Parties Conference would decide about every option including resignations from the assemblies or street agitation. To a question, she said the PML-N and the PPP are two different parties with different manifestoes, adding that not only these two parties but all opposition parties, including the JUI-F, would have to work collectively to topple the fake government. Maryam parried a query about army chief’s proposed extension in service, saying she would not comment because the issue is yet to come up for consideration. Whenever it would be taken up, the party leadership would decide and give its opinion.

To a question, she said, Ishaq Dar did the right thing of requesting the UK government against his victimisation, adding that when the country starts delivering justice, then such people would return. She said she is being charged with committing crimes when she was only 18 years old. She said both Prime Minister Imran Khan and his sister Aleema Khan took advantage of the amnesty scheme. But, despite their confessional statements, no action was taken against them, even the fact was ignored that they had no businesses. To a question, she said a joint investigation team should also be constituted against Imran Khan, Aleema Khan and Jehangir Tareen.

Flanked by party leader Pervaiz Rasheed and Punjab Information Secretary Azma Zahid Bukhari, Maryam said she is fighting the case of her father as a dutiful daughter. To a question, she said if Nawaz Sharif’s life faced any danger, everybody in the government would be held responsible. To another question, she said, “Neither this is Egypt nor the PML-N would let Nawaz Sharif be made another Morsi. Nawaz Sharif is a political prisoner and is in jail for the crime of striving for civilian supremacy.” She said the PML-N has not asking for any relief from the fake government, adding ‘those whose existence depends on others could give relief to others?’About the health condition of Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N vice president said he had suffered three heart attacks, and he suffered the third one while in Adiala jail, but the jail authorities informed the family very late. She said despite suffering from serious pain, Nawaz Sharif was not taken to hospital but when finally he was taken to PIMS under extremely painful condition, the jail staff and the official doctor said he did not suffer a heart attack. But the PIMS discharge slip confirmed he had suffered a heart attack. Maryam showed the PIMS hospital discharge reports which mentioned that the former prime minister had suffered a heart attack and needed exceptional medical care. She said the PTI regime hid the cardiac attack suffered by Nawaz in late December from his family, his party and millions of his supporters all-over Pakistan.

She said her father’s kidneys were one step away from ceasing to function. She also explained that extreme stress had led to dangerously low supply of blood to Nawaz’s brain which is an alarming situation that could cause a brain stroke. She said Nawaz Sharif is suffering from multiple serious diseases currently. Maryam warned that if anything were to endanger Nawaz Sharif’s health and safety, everyone who played a role in denying him his right to healthcare and medical assistance will be held accountable.

The PML-N leader lamented that the judiciary did not give him relief for treatment and added that it is the right of the people to know about his condition being the prime minister thrice and being a popular leader. She lamented that the government has banned his meetings with political leaders and workers, besides only five family members can meet him. She said even his sister and daughters of Shahbaz Sharif were not allowed to meet him. “Nawaz Sharif knows very well the real reasons for his imprisonment. He understands all factors that have led some to feel threatened and turned against him to persecute him,” Maryam Nawaz said. He knows he is being punished for raising voice for the supremacy and sanctity of vote.