Nawaz Sharif says his mission was to make Pakistan ‘stand on its feet again’ & God willing we will fulfill this mission

HFIZABAD, Jan 18 (SABAH): With general elections less than three weeks away, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Qaid and former prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Thursday finally turned up to his party’s election rally, and said that his mission was to make Pakistan “stand on its feet again”.

The PML-N had kick-started its much-awaited election campaign, led by Maryam Nawaz Sharif, earlier this week in Okara. The party had been facing criticism, especially from the PPP, for “staying indoors” — a dig at its underwhelming canvassing — despite polls being near.

At a rally in Hafizabad, the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif— who returned to Pakistan in October last year after spending four years in self-imposed exile — spoke briefly before giving way to Maryam Nawaz, whose was the final speech.

Nawaz, who arrived at the venue in a helicopter, recalled that when he was ousted from office in 2017, the people of Pakistan lost their representative. “Had I not been removed, not one person in Hafizabad would have been unemployed,” he said.

“If I was not removed, there would not have been a single problem that is plaguing the country today. The dollar would have been at Rs100, roti would cost Rs4 and Pakistan would have earned a reputable position in the world,” the PML-N supremo said.

He highlighted how the PML-N had eradicated terrorism and load shedding in its tenure. “My mission is to make Pakistan stand on its feet and God willing we will fulfill this mission,” Nawaz promised, concluding his brief speech.

Nawaz Sharif asserted that if he had not been removed as prime minister, the country would have been flourishing, with no unemployment, and every household illuminated with the glow of light.

Nawaz Sharif credited his government for successfully combating terrorism and load-shedding in the country. The former prime minister lamented that a decision made by five judges removed a representative of 250 million people. “If our government had continued, there would be no unemployment in the country today. If I were not ousted from the PM office, the country would be prosperous, and there would be no inflation,” said Nawaz Sharif.

He further added that his government would have ensured a new motorway passing through Hafizabad, similar to the one currently traversing Lahore.

Expressing his vision for the nation, Nawaz stated, “My mission is to stand the country on its own feet. We will construct motorways in Hafizabad, just like we did in Lahore.”

He concluded his address, affirming his commitment to the progress and prosperity of Pakistan, asserting that the PML-N would continue its efforts to bring economic stability and development to the nation.

While addressing the public gathering, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Senior Vice President of PML-N emphasised the importance of recognising the historical significance of May 28 — the day Pakistan announced that it had successfully conducted five nuclear tests in the Chagai district of Balochistan — as opposed to May 9, which she deemed as a day when the country was thrown into flames.

“Nawaz Sharif has explicitly stated that we are May 28 ones, not May 9. Behind both these dates lies a detailed story. These are not ordinary events,” Maryam asserted.

Referring to Nawaz Sharif, she highlighted that the person who enabled Pakistan to become a nuclear power is present among them today. “Those associated with May 28 built the nation, while those linked with May 9 disrupted it. One date is about Pakistan’s progress while the other is about its destruction,” she added.

Maryam Nawaz went on to criticise PTI’s tenure as responsible for the inflation prevailing in the country despite four years of governance. She added that in contrast, the PML-N provided employment opportunities and laptops to the youth, affordable bread, and the development of road networks.

She asked the people of Hafizabad to support PML-N on the election day, urging them to reject the people behind the May 9 events. Maryam Nawaz said “the sher [tiger] will roar on Feb 8”.

“A man who is lying behind bars can never sympathise with the youth,” she said in a reference to Imran Khan but did not take his name. Maryam Nawaz further stated that Nawaz led Pakistan to the path of progress, adding that even now the PML-N supremo was spending his time chalking measures to bring relief to the people.