Sharif rejects competition with Imran, Zardari

Former PM says his services were rewarded with disqualification

SADIQABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has reiterated that he is not in competition with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) or Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rather his real fight is with the power which cannot be seen.

He was addressing a big public rally in Sadiqabad. His daughter Maryam Nawaz also spoke.

The gathering started late due to the weather but people remained disciplined in wait of their leader.

He said that he was removed from office and disqualified for life, but the people who made those decisions should see the enthusiasm of people who beg to differ.

Nawaz thanked men, women and the elderly for turning out in large numbers to support him.

“It looks like Sadiqabad has awakened and if the heart of Southern Punjab has woken up then the whole Pakistan has awakened,” Nawaz said, adding that he will never forget the love given by the people of Sadiqabad.



The former premier said that he was disqualified because “they did not want Pakistan to prosper and move towards development,” and added that he was punished for serving the country.

He asked the crowd to tell him about the number of welfare projects initiated by the PPP as compared to PML-N and went on to mock PTI for only knowing ‘how to play cricket’.

Nawaz said that he supported Imran Khan’s Shaukat Khanum hospital when he was the prime minister in the 90s and criticised Khan for refusing to acknowledge his largesse. Nawaz added that he has no competition with Imran Khan as he is nothing compared to him.

“We are not dwelling over the past but believe in the future…Pakistan will be prosperous and developed…we can make Pakistan the Asian Tiger,” said Nawaz Sharif.

“We have eliminated terrorism from the country, brought peace to Karachi, constructed motorways, which include the motorway from Multan to Karachi that will be completed in the coming few months,” he said, and added that kidnapping for ransom was a big issue in Rahim Yar Khan, which was resolved and the problem of load shedding fixed.

He commended the construction of first motorway from Peshawar to Islamabad, Islamabad to Lahore and said, “Now people will be able to travel from Lahore to Karachi on motorway.”

Nawaz said that he has rendered so many services but was rewarded with disqualification for not collecting salary from his son. He said people’s votes made him the prime minister but their mandate was dragged to the court and five people disgraced their choice.



“Rahim Yar Khan district IT college, medical college, cadet college and Danish School projects were started, farm to market roads were built, health cards were issued…subsidy on tube wells and pesticide was provided,” said Nawaz Sharif recalled.

“People were distressed over the prices of fuel in 2013. We gave subsidy on it and we did it for the public good,” added the former premier.

He said that people should consider the 2018 election as referendum rather than considering it the elections by voting for the PML-N ticket holders.

Maryam Nawaz said that they are being dragged into courts as revenge in the name of accountability. She added that she has been to 70 hearings at NAB but Jahangir Khan Tareen’s case was not brought to NAB despite the corruption charges proved against him. She added that the people have come out against the injustice and will prove in the upcoming elections by electing PML-N.