Elections a referendum against SC verdict: Sharif

Also calls Balochistan’s resolution to delay polls absurd, invalid

LAHORE: Terming both the reasons stated in a resolution passed by the Balochistan Assembly for delaying the general elections invalid, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said that the people will not allow any delay in polls.

While addressing a convention of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz workers in Faisalabad, Nawaz Sharif said that people by the time of election would have returned from Saudi Arabia after performing Hajj, so the first reason stated in the resolution was flawed whereas the second one of expected flooding in the country is completely absurd.

“How can elections be delayed over ‘chances’ of floods,” said Sharif asking whose mouthpiece the Balochistan Assembly had become and quizzed the crowd if they knew how their provincial government was toppled.

He said that given the rise in popularity of PML-N, opponents including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf were getting afraid of jumping into the electoral fray.  “They know they will lose against us and want to halt the polls,” claimed the former PM saying that his voters will guard elections and not leave the polling stations until PML-N emerges victorious.

He also said that elections results would be a referendum against the court’s verdict of his disqualification

The PML-N supremo added that while PML-N’s government went on an inauguration spree of new projects the PTI  inaugurated a couple of incomplete projects in K-P, while PPPP had no projects to inaugurate in Sindh.

Earlier Maryam Nawaz said that the people and Nawaz Sharif should be applauded for the continuation of the democratic system in the country.

“Sharif supported Zardari’s tenure irrespective of his party’s performance for the sake of democracy”, she said lauding her father “for sacrificing his own premiership to save the system from crumbling”.

She added that the deposed PM was pressurised multiple times to resign from office but not only did he refuse but also stood up for the sanctity of vote. Maryam said that after four long years it was taking a pay from his son that caused Sharif’s ouster.

She said that even after his disqualification, they did not rest and religious hatred was fanned as he had not done anything to warrant being called a traitor.

“Those who called Sharif a traitor are now silent over General Asad Durrani’s book”, she said.