Nawaz wonders what he is being held accountable for

Those making demand for resignation want to come to power through back door

ISLAMABAD: In a strong comeback against calls for his resignation, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stated that those demanding him to step down did not wish to take Pakistan towards stability and wanted to come in power through back door.

“These people [opposition] have been rejected more than once by the voters and they know that they cannot come into power through a democratic process,” the premier said while addressing the media in two events in Sialkot.

He said negative politics for the past four years had slowed the pace of progress, adding that the only way forward was to address poverty, unemployment and terrorism, by undertaking development in all spheres.

The prime minister regretted that the ongoing accountability was only aimed at creating destabilization in the country.

He said the stock market rose from 19,000 to 54,000 points since he came into power and regretted that the ongoing situation had dragged it down by 10,000 points. "Who is responsible for this loss?" he questioned.



Addressing a gathering of party workers at Khawaja Asif’s residence, he said that anyone who creates hurdles for the country’ progress was a traitor and should be punished.

“What I am being held accountable for? Have I plundered from the national exchequer, gotten any kickback or have done corruption in any project?” the premier questioned, adding that he did not know what he was being held accountable for.

“Digging out details of our family business is not accountability, nation would not accept this kind of accountability,” Nawaz maintained.

The prime minister went on to say that he had not plundered a single penny.

“If accountability is to be done at all, it should be of the people who have plundered from national exchequers in previous governments and ones who have led this country into darkness.”

He said that this was the third bout against the government after Dharna 1 and Dharna 2 that was only costing people of Pakistan a prosperous and a bright future they were aiming to give.

Nawaz said the $56 billion investment from Beijing in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was delayed by six months due to the sit-in in Islamabad.

He said that if it was not for the Dharna, CPEC project would have been completed by now.

“Despite this hullabaloo, our government is completing all mega infrastructural projects and energy projects as promised in time,” the premier added.

Addressing the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry after inaugurating the Riazuddin Sheikh Business Centre, he said today Balochistan was a productive and integral part of Pakistan, owing to the selfless service to the masses.

“Only the one who sincerely believes in the uplift of the common man, the welfare of the farmers, the betterment of industrialists and businessmen, could serve the masses in the best possible manner,” he stressed.

He said work on the completion of different sections of motorways was going ahead at a fast pace.

He mentioned progress on Karachi-Hyderabad, Sialkot-Lahore and Multan-Karachi sections of motorways. He termed it an extensive infrastructure development programme that was unprecedented in Pakistan's history.

He said a number of road projects were near completion and added he would inaugurate the new sections soon.



The prime minister said the first two years of his government were spent on arranging funds for the development projects and said today the long hours of load-shedding were a thing of the past.

“Every few days ahead, a new power project would be adding electricity to the national grid,” he said, adding that only a few years back people were sick and tired of endless power outages, unemployment, lawlessness and lack of investment.

The country's railways network, he said, would be upgraded by an investment of $58 billion.

“Our government saved Rs168 billion in three power projects alone due to transparency and better management,” Nawaz said adding that his government had worked very hard to turn around the country's economy and said he was proud to note that all projects had been completed with complete transparency.

He said Pakistan would soon have abundant, cheap electricity and pointed its cost had dropped from Rs15 to Rs10 per unit and hoped that it would soon be down to Rs8.