Shehbaz plays down Maryam Nawaz’s remarks

PM says coalition partners will decide about fresh elections

LAHORE:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday played down Mayram Nawaz’s veiled criticism of former intelligence chief in her recent rally, saying that her remarks in the heat of the moment should not be taken seriously.

Shehbaz, who spent a busy day in his hometown, Lahore, made these remarks during a meeting with anchorpersons and TV analysts. He said that the statements of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president were not meant to criticise any state institution.

A senior journalist, currently working as an analyst for a private TV channel, who was present in the meeting, said that during the interaction Shehbaz made it clear that he was opposed to the idea of army interference in politics.

The journalist said that the meeting apparently aimed at convincing the anchorpersons that a massive increase in fuel prices was inevitable so they might play their role in making up their mind and later defend the government when the metaphorical fuel bomb dropped.

Shehbaz talked about the economic situation of the country and said that the country was at the brink of a financial crisis. He added that some tough decisions had to be taken to put the country’s economy back on track.

Regarding elections, the prime minister said that they were a coalition government, therefore, could not take any decision on their own. He emphasised that the coalition partners would sit together in due course of time to decide when to go for fresh elections.

Shehbaz termed former prime minister Imran Khan’s movement against the government waste of time.

In response to a question, the prime minister defended the party’s decision to make his son, Hamza Shehbaz, the Punjab chief minister, saying that with the passage of time, Hamza would prove his mettle and justify his position.

He explained that the party had planned to give chief ministership to Pervaiz Elahi but after he decided to side with the PTI, there was no option but to go for Hamza Shehbaz.

He added that he himself was the chief minister when his elder brother was the prime minister and he was able to prove his critics wrong.

Regarding the ongoing corruption cases against him, Shehbaz said he had been facing these cases for the last four and half years and that nothing had been proven against him.

With reference to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the prime minister said that China was unhappy with the PTI policy of delaying the mega project. However, he hoped that the present government would be able to turn things around with China.