Support to Army Act - It was N’s unanimous decision: Shahbaz Sharif

LONDON: PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif on Saturday said it was the PML-N’s unanimous decision to support the Army Act after a meeting of the party stalwarts in London.

“It’s a fact that the PTI government had already issued extension notification of General Bajwa and the Supreme Court had asked parliament to make necessary legislation with a specific time frame. There was no hue and cry at that time. There are precedents where extension was given without legislation. Pervez Musharraf and other dictators gave themselves extension but this time parliament gave the extension and did the required legislation,” he said while speaking to reporters outside the Avenfield flats after seeing off former Afghan president Hamid Karzai.

Karzai visited Nawaz Sharif to inquire after him. Karzai and Afghan Ambassador to the UK Syed Jawad stayed with the Sharif brothers for an hour.

Shahbaz said now was the time to move on from the topic, as discussing a ‘non-issue’ will push the real issues to the back seat. He said the government deliberately created the extension issue through bad intentions.

He said the PTI government had failed in areas of economy and governance.

“The real issues facing Pakistan are poverty, unemployment, joblessness and healthcare. Nawaz Sharif did the historic job of dealing with the economic crisis within four months and will be remembered for development, improving economy and dealing with the power crisis,” he said.

Shahbaz said under the PTI government, all sectors of economy stood destroyed and there was no governance anywhere.

“The PTI promised provision of five million homes and 10 million jobs but instead millions have lost their jobs and homes and the government has no plan. We believe the country today is in grip of foreign loans. I don’t just blame this government but the fact remains that it has broken record of all previous governments. Pakistan has not seen anything like this what it has seen in 18 months of the PTI government. The country has not seen a bigger U-turn master and liar like Imran Khan, who has destroyed Pakistan’s economy,” he said.

Earlier, talking to the Pakistani media, Karzai said he was delighted to meet Nawaz personally.

“I am very happy to meet my good friend Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif; he’s in good health and has been extremely kind,” he said.