Nawaz Sharif’s removal caused more damage than three wars: Gen Abdul Qayyum

DUBAI: Senior leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Lt Gen (R) Abdul Qayyum has said that Pakistan has not suffered as much damage in three wars with India the way it had with the removal of former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Senator Abdul Qayyum said Nawaz Sharif is against political upheaval in the country. He said this while addressing a gathering of the PML-N Middle East in Dubai that was organised by a senior party leader Chaudhry Altaf.

Senator Abdul Qayyum said a "conspiracy" was hatched to oust Nawaz Sharif and sit-ins were arranged which resulted in the deterioration of economy which harmed the state. He criticised the present government, especially on its economic policies, and said that currently the government was in the hands of “climbers”.

About the current financial conditions of the country, the PML-N leader said that the present leadership has caused severe economic loss to the homeland in just 18 months. To a question about change in government, he revealed that the PML-N leadership intended to let their tenure complete.

Abdul Qayyum requested the PML-N activists not to ignore moral values and personal attacks should be avoided. Citing an example of Nawaz Sharif, he said that the former premier had never done character assassination of anyone.

Speaking with The News, he said that new elections should be conducted on worsening of the economic situation in the country as the new mandate will form a new government that would help resolve the problems. Raja Abu Bakar Effendi and Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal also addressed the gathering.