While ostensibly, the rally was part of the opposition’s ‘Go Zardari’ campaign, PTI chief Imran Khan seemed to receive as much flak in Nawaz’s speech as the president himself. In fact, the PML-N chief’s speech echoed two of Imran’s key stated agendas – bringing ‘change’, and working against corruption. The Memogate petition, however, was significantly absent from the address.
Addressing a rally which Senator Pervez Rashid estimated to be 150,000 strong and which media more conservatively estimated at 60, 000, Nawaz said he would bring about change to Pakistan himself. This will be brought about through competent and honest people like Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Usman Ibrahim, Ishaq Dar and Khurram Dastgir Khan, he said, taking care to name some of the party’s heavyweights.
The PML-N chief added that Imran’s one-point agenda was to just attract the youth with fake promises, and asked the youth not to be deceived by such elements.
Leader of the Opposition Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also picked up a similar thread, asking rhetorically why Imran had not criticised the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in his Karachi rally.
Gas price hikes
President Asif Ali Zardari’s government, however, also faced severe criticism from the PML-N chief. Price hikes in gas and electricity were at the top of the list – Nawaz was, after all, speaking in an industrial area worst affected by the energy crisis. Promising to build dams and develop coal and thermal energy if his party came to power, he said PML-N would ‘not accept any price hikes’ and if the government did not withdraw the decision, it will ‘play its final role in removing the government’.
Placing the blame for inflation squarely on the government, he said the price increases were a result of a government move to issue ‘new bank notes worth Rs2 billion every day’.
A small hint at the Memogate controversy did appear: Nawaz said the government was defying certain Supreme Court rulings. The May 2 Abbottabad raid, on the other hand, he termed ‘unacceptable’.
Adamant not to be outshone by a PTI ‘tsunami’, Nawaz termed his own entourage from Lahore to Gujranwala a ‘mini long march’.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2012.
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@HAQ: lie
PMLN is talking about corruption, please let me know what has been changed in The Punjab?
is there any institute in The Punjab running with out corruption? What is the situation of law & Order in the Punjab is an open secret.
@Mohammad Awais: I have been great IK fan since 2002 and I Promise that i will stop supporting PTI or IK if they alliance with Musharraf.
Nawaz Sharif, please decide do you want to save this system or change this system? from 2008 to mid of 2011 we were listening that you are supporting Zardari to save this system now you want to change it. Are u confuse what you want to do really?
yaar its easy the capicity of gujranwala stadium is around 20,000 ,so people sitting in ground is 20.000 as per pervez rasheed it was show around 30,000 not more than that rememeber they block stadium from one side ,so if they call it big rally even they r in power ,looks like mian shahib loosing his strong holds already lost south punjab to pti i think theior time is up time for new thinking in paksitan .that is imran khan
I simply dont understand that y not these people try to get public sympathy through their performance instead of doing Public Gatherings?Come on,u people are in Punjab Govt. for the past 4 years vich is the biggest province of Pak...It simply sounds stupid to me that u people are in Govt and ur going to public against Govt...what a shame.....Try to deliver through your performance,people will automatically be attracted towards u...
@anwar: yes you are right 80% pakistan khapaa dia hay. 20% rahta. well done
Imran Khan Zindabaad!!!
u forgot to mention the 300000 laptops (jo chote computer hote hain)!!... students will be getting them & it will work on candle light!... if students are out of candle light, they can blow on the motherboard, and it will work perfectly fine!! :D
I hope students who are getting these chote computer will boycott them!! plz do!!
@Hammad: What will Imran Khan do? He knows nothing of the sort of governance.
There was a time when freshly cooked "Nihari" & "Siri paye" was transported by helicopter from Lahore to Murree.....& he talking about honest people.........Please leave us alone
soup slogan
@Kashif: If PML(N) possesses such qualities then why javaid hashmi like great anti establishment leader left PML(N)??????
@ Blithe, why isnt he resigning from the assemblies?? why does he want to support this "SO" called corrupt government??
It was all hollow chants and slogans. There was no substance to Nawaz or any PML leaders in this show. They were following style and approach of PTI which looked too pretentious from a party that couldn't delivered in the last 25 years. There was also fear factor in their speeches. Youngsters like myself are not impressed with your grant of laptops. It is not coming from your own pocket and don't try to humiliate us through toys.
Change has already cum. http://www.zemtv.com/2011/12/31/a-young-boy-was-beaten-when-he-tried-to-meet-nawaz-shareef-in-jalsa/
do these politicians think people of pakistan are fools?or are they?same old rubbish,same old faces.just going round in circles.
happy new year to Imran khan
Yes Nawaz we heard that there are some women & youngsters in your jalsa today, please you don't have to repeat it like every 2nd minute.....how shaken up are you by IK....lolz, you let Zardari tear this country apart thinking that it will be your turn next but you should remember that there is a God in this world and that things do not go according to how u wish. And please stop copying IK's jalsa, who will you copy if u come into power.
Bravo Nawaz Shariff. Lets say I forgot your corruption and power hungry tactics, your hypocrisy would be the reason why I would never vote for you. It is amazing how only a couple of days ago you "tried" to lash out at Imran Khan by saying "those who talk about change should come in power first" and yet, you chant the same promises even though you are not in "Power". Bravo to another laughable character in Pakistani Politics.
@Truth: Nawaz Sharif has a unique style - and it is very different from IK. It seens you have not been exposed to previous Pml-n jalsas.
To say that NS is copying IK is like saying white is black.
Nawaz Sharfi is an experienced and a visionary leader. Imran and Musharaf Baqiyaat are only hope for establishment, not for nation.
go nawaz go!
@truepak: if you can make logic of harry potter aka imran khan than you can make logic of anything.
At least Khan Sahib did one good thing. That is "Setting good Standards for Jalsas"
@Pakistani: The stadium was filled to the brim... and the crowd was enthusiatic as ever...
How can you call it flop? Please refrain from spreading disinformation.
Bogus jalsa! PTI jalsas are the only ones to whom I have been able to relate to! Rest are all fake!
Why they didnt bring any change in punjab when they have ruled the province for 20 out of last 30 years?
@Blithe: Oh yeah...that's why it is PML-N (Nawaz Sharif)....so much for self-less imitation of Quaid-e-Azam?...lastly, this PML-N was formed in 1988 (40+ years after independence)...so it is not the same All India Muslim League...
it should be '' Our agenda is to play a ten- over match with Imran Khan ''
Cartnoon Network league
Nawaz is honest and not corrupt, please Nawaz tell us where you got the money to build those lovly apartment blocks near Barking, London.
PML-N has the best team to steer the country out of crisis. Imran is personally ok but has no experience of governance and his team too is shady and doubtful.
Police, health, education etc are Provincial matters but PML-N failed badly.
It's funny nawaz said his party can bring the change while copying PTI Jalsa style.
@truepak: "First he helped zardari become the president"
where are you getting this information from, when Zardari annouced that he is running for president, Mr. Nawaz Sharif was the one who tried his best to stop his way, he tried to contact all the people those had power in assembly to stop zardari being a president, but he could not do so, he even contacted Ch. Shujat (the person he hate the most) but choudharie's gave their ticket to Mushahid hussain so that PMLN supported Justice Siddiqui can not get enough votes and Zardari can win the election. Don't make fool to the people like Imran khan say the truth one day you will have to answer all the lies you are telling to the public,
Go ahead PML (N)......IK rented Musharaf league...No worries This league was defeated in 2008 elections by U effectively and This time this Musharaf league under the umbrella of IK will agains be defeated.....
IMRAN KHAN ALL THE WAY.
@PakJam: Were you born yesterday?
Quaid-e-Azam was the founder of the All India Muslim League. As such Quaid-e-Azam has always been an ideological inspiration for Muslim Leaguers.
Nawaz Sharif and his league is spent force the real competition is between an experienced but badly battered Zardari and yong but naive imran khan who will win ? youth Or experience
No passion was seen, they just are copying PTI, no sign of youth, how they will bring change this time when they cant do when they were in power for two times.
I guess someone doesn't know the meaning of competent, honest and corrupt.
@truepak: How did he help Zardari become president. Please explain!?!?!?
From what I remember, PML-N actively voted for a retired chief justice to become president.
@Muhammad Nadeem: That is rich coming from a PTI supporter.
IK lied to the PTI workers when he would keep personalities above politics.
PTI now stands for Pakistan Turncoats Ittehad
mian sahib ..............another patwari jalsa ................. he wants to bring corrupt revolution in pakistan........... raiwind janta fails.........................
How it look like Go Zardari Go! It chants against PTI.. They helped the currupt PPP mafia all the way right from election, selection till Rymond Davis but yet want change? What change? U are in power in punjab but what u have done for the masses..
@dr j tipu: If you bring that up, kindly also bring up Sita White issue.
This is the problem with PTI - they are sanctimonious to the nth degree.
Nawaz Sharif you got the credit of Restoring of Judiciary and no honest person can deny it.
they beat their young supporter who tried to meet his beloved leader nawaz sharif (nojawano ka inqalabi sheer :P)................wah g wah..............N-league
@Hamid: Please narrate How? Jalasa attracted thousands of people and speeches were fabulous, How my friend Nawaz Sharif failed?
@Antebellum: Dear you should congratulate Mian Nawaz Sharif whose address having vision of future. What about Imran Khan who give the dates of his processions 3/4 months earlier?
Congrats to Nawaz Sharif for such a successful JALSA and heart provoking speech. Qadam Barho Nawaz Sharif Hum Tumare Sath Hain.
@ISI: to whom imran is imitating?
biggest jalsa in the history of Gujranwala ..
why not?
Kindly inform us Imran Khan childerns are muslims or Jewish???????????
You cannot change the future of this country through nonsense TV talk shows, holding rallies, processions, marches, strikes, protests, burnings of properties, etc. The stupid leaders never talk about making people work and think about building the country through hard work, dedication, commitment and honesty. The nation is corrupt to their bones and leaders are no exception.
well the number of attendees seemed larger then imran khan's tsunami but the point remains same.....
whether khan, sharif or any other person... non has raised voice against the treachery of real rulers of pakistan, the establishment...so they ll be consumed by status quo willingly or unwillingly......
@omar: yes long live PTI. But why? you people want Imran because he vows to bring about change. But Why PTI is collecting all turncoats (old and loathsome face). And now there are rumors that Musharaff would join Imran. Now will supporters of Imran Khan promise that they will stopping supporting PTI, if Imran makes alliance with Musharraf?
patwari jalsa total flop!!
Mr Nawaz shareef u got 2 chance and still u want to bring change in Pakistan, I am sorry sir u and your party not eligible for more chance please stay away and allow other to come forward and bring change in Pakistan.
new names but its fact
Muslim League : > Shareef Khandan League. Pakistan Peoples Party : > Zardari's People Party.
The GT Road from Lahore to Gujranwala was packed with heavy traffic early morning as vehicles carrying workers from Lahore and adjacent areas made their way to the venue
Spot on! lol
PTI Zindabad. Pakistan Zindabad.
Sharif Fail.
"The PML-N chief said that the people of Gujranwala will wash out Imran Khan’s tsunami." Umm, wasn't this gathering supposed to be part of "Go-Zardari-Go" campaign?.
PML-N should have announced a long march for early election otherwise PPP will sink them alongwith.
@Ahmad:
lets remove them all today but then u have to provide every thing u mentioned by tomorrow.
PML(N) has the most competent team to get pakistan out of this mess. PTI only revolves around inran khan and then bunch of turn coats.
We Pakistanis should not believe in anyone anymore. We have lost everything. Now these so called leaders who are greedy for power and money try to attract us through false rhetoric. We should understand that the present regime including the provincial governments have done nothing to save the sinking ship. Neither PPP nor PML (N) can do anything. Its time to wake up and make this country ourselves. Still not too late. Long Live Pakistan.
PML (N) and change? They had their chance a couple of times but didn't do anything to change. Sharifs and Zardaris are the two faces of the same coin!
"The GT Road from Lahore to Gujranwala was packed with heavy traffic early morning as vehicles carrying workers from Lahore and adjacent areas made their way to the venue."
So, was anyone from Gujranwala actually at the 'rally'?
Come on Sharif Bradran and PML-N - don't make the lives of ordinary Pakistanis even more miserable by clogging roads through your 'rally transport schemes'.
Like IK said, there will be a time when whatever Nawaz or Zardari say against PTI will backfire and give impetus to PTI. I truly concur with this statement as what these corrupt so called leaders are saying against PTI. Whatever they are saying against PTI is increasing frustration of the masses with Nawaz and Zardari. This fact is fairly obvious from the comments.
Only Musharraf to rule.
but i thought that was PTI's agenda...
its shameful hamza shahbaz was in gujranwala whilst poor girl ayesha ahad was on the roads of lahore demanding justice. cheap PMLN leaders and their cheap copycat tactics!
@Tahir, PML-N has been calling for change long before PTI was propelled into mainstream politics by the khaki-backed jalsa in Peshawar which was against the NATO supplies. Just because you started following politics after Imran Khan suddenly became everyone's hero, does not mean pakistani politics started on that day. SImilarly, @PakJam Nawaz Sharif has been (it could be unjustified) using Quaid-e-Azam's name for political gains since time immemorial, please go study some politics first and then jump on to the justin beiber-ish bandwagon of IK!
What kind of picture it is? it showa media biasness. I think this photographer take this picture from anarkali or ichhra bazaz and post it. \\\\\\if it were imran khan's max try ll be made to capture as many people as can
all that one can say to mian sahab is "lol; mian sahb jaan diyo, saadi baari aandiyo"
Dear tribune. WHY dint you cover ANP's Jalsa In mardan today? it was a Massive show reports say that there were at least 40 thousand people attending it? Why Such Biased reporting?
Whenever torus see a big jalsa conducted by other party they call it Patwari jalsa :D 100,000 patwaris in punjab?
The purpose of these rallies is not to force early elections. It is meant only to halt the tide of lotas changing loyalties to PTI. To convince the remaining to stick to the ground, and possibly break some disgruntled old PTI leaders, who are not happy with the way party is going these days.
In the coming days, an equilibrium will be reached. And then everyone will be working at his own old pay.
we all agree that federal government is not functioing but wat about the punjab governmet, Did the eliminate the bribery from the offices which are in their (PML-N) possession 1- Bribery & corruption in the government offices run by the Shahbaz Govt 2- Police & Patwari culture is improved ( it is getting worse) 3- Large scale of dacoits, robbery , we all agree that, if police is functioing properly, rate will reduce to 90%. 4- MPA in punjab governmet are getting millions of fund for what, there should be proper public development department for infrasture to do it. we know how & where this money goes. 5- You will see full page advertisement on the urdu newpapers, Is it not a kind of bribery or getting fame through public money.
PML-N is trying to create confusion among its voters who are willing to swing to PTI, as well as new PTI voters. In the end, the vote will be split evenly.
Hypocrisy at its best...
PMLN please be innovative, I know you are obsessed with PTI but don't copy everything.
Was there anything against Zardari too in this "Go Zardari Go" rally...??
Change with old, well tested, and failed horses? Could you please quit lying with the people of Pakistan. We are fed up of it.
'Go Zardari Go' movement while sitting in the government and bashing Imran Khan in the rally? What do they actually want to achieve? Is here anyone else too who can see the hypocrisy and confusion written all over it?
Imran Khan All the way!!
nawaz sharif zindabad
It can be you failed me and I failed you, but it would lead to the result, the winner is khakki colored cricketer !
well they are now desperate to do something . In my opinion nawaz shrif should leave politics and his rude and insensible team too.pakistan need change which these guys cant bring i think sharif should leave or join pti
@Pakistani: yes, you should come out of Facebook and Tribune and go and watch the no of people out there. you self pro-claimed revolutionaries will be blow away by the lion come the election.
GO ZARDARI GO GO Establishment GO GO PTI GO....
Both Zardari and Nawaz will most likely be swept away with the tsunami of Imran.
Another rally of patwaris arranged using tax payers money. Corrupt politicans pretending to be saviours of this poor nation
Good Jalsa, N League does posses strength as it has created a difference in the past and has not U-turned on its agenda since being in opposition, being quite constructive in Parliament as well as outside i.e Restoration of Judiciary. It is a party of team members and not all focussing on the leader. It has a lot of expertise and being much better than the PPP it should not be disregarded as a Provincial party or has been party. The real contest should be elections soon, GO ZARDARI & PPP Government go!
mr nawaz sharif, you have been in politics for almost 40 years now... If you ever wanted to do something for the people of Pakistan you would have by now! Please don't embarrass yourself by doing these topi-drama rallies...
Slogan mongering will not save Pakistan. What Pakistan needs is proven honest and patriotic leadership. What Pakistan needs a leader who will not continue with worthless and damaging hate policies. What Pakistan needs is a leader who dreams of Peaceful. peace loving and PROSPEROUS pakistan. Give Pakistanis a kind of Pakistan that Jinnah wanted.
100000 participants? I can count the heads in the picture. They are not even 1000.
No lives updates ET? The urban media bias sucks!
Seems more like Go Imran Go....lol... PML N has committed plagiarism by copying PTI theme. Check out the font and slogan. Also the style of PTI pictures of Imran Khan with Quaid and Allama Sahib.
Nawaz Sahib chaley huway Kartoos hain jo THUSS ho jaengey.
PTI zindabad! Pakistan Paindabad
seems more like a " SAve Punjab from PTI" rally!!! these pmln are real copycats. Photocopy league cany hold jalsas outside punjab. If u are such big leaders why dont u hold jalsas where u dont have government?
How can a person lie so shamelessly to these people?
All these 'agar hamari hakoomat hoti...' crap... shouldnt that be applicable to Punjab Government? Whats the credentials and achievements of Punjab Government?
Somebody quickly hide school kids.
Ch Nisar has all the time in the world to criticize PTI, that too with lame accusations.
Patwaris ... time to stand up and meet the targets
Why doesnt he just resign his seats? Govt will be over then
PMLN is cheaply trying to imitate Imran Khan's style of jalsa
a materialistic slogan ...... !!!!
Zardari must go so that an ordinary person should survive in Pakistan, otherwise, more people are going to commit suicide in the year 2012.
Lame !! Sitting in Gov. and making Such Slogans against Failures...How ironic !!
Gujranwala Zindabaad!!!
Hamza was in Gujranwala for 02 weeks. Punjab Govt chalao, wo ziada important hai.
PML-N already import workers to Gujranwala from other cities and districts.
This is not what any person who is competent in seeing the bigger picture and has the decision making skills of a leader would be doing right now.
No Gas. No Electricity. No Water. No Fertilizers. No jobs. No law-and-order.
Definitely, democracy is the biggest revenge..
Wah Pakistan Wah….
a flop slogan...!!!