Maryam wonders why Imran goes scot-free

MULTAN:

Senior Vice President and Chief Organiser of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Maryam Nawaz, said on Monday the people of Pakistan were in high spirits despite the rising inflation as she blamed the wrong policies of the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government for price-hike.

Talking to journalists, Maryam Nawaz said that the party was ready for any elections. She stressed that economic stability could not come without political stability, warning that the situation would not improve until the national politics was purged of “sit-ins and long marches by the troublemakers”.

“We are facing internal threat, not an external one,” Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, told reporters. What was happening today, she added, was the result of the incompetence of the previous government.

“Even if we want, we cannot give relief at present, but Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is working day and night and we will reduce inflation,” she said, adding: “Despite the inflation, the people are in high spirits. We will improve the situation.”

Read: Mere admission of ‘Imran blunder’ is not enough, Maryam tells Bajwa

Criticising the previous government, Maryam Nawaz mentioned that the PML-N government during 2013-18 successfully concluded the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme and said good-bye to the global lender but the PTI government with its agreement with the IMF “has tied out hands”.

In a further broadside against the previous government, she said that all the politicians, herself included, were victimised. Nawaz Sharif, she added, was handcuffed while still in the plane. “Nawaz Sharif attended hundreds of court hearings with his daughter on a daily basis.”

Expressing her anger at “no action” being taken against PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the cases against him, she said: “Everyone is asking question: why no action is being taken against Imran Khan? There are several cases pending against him such as Toshakhana, foreign funding and others.”

She also accused former chief justices of Supreme Court Asif Saeed Khosa and Saqib Nisar of victimising the PML-N leaders. “We faced vengeance, but they [the PTI] committed crimes, for which these people will have to answer,” she continued, demanding that “these double standards must end now.”

Referring to Toshakhana [gift depository] case against Imran, she said that the former prime minister sold watches and other gifts in the market. She also accused Imran of money laundering. “But still on what basis are you [Imran] being granted bail [by court] because you are a politician?”

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She emphasised that Nawaz Sharif was the people’s prime minister and not a prime minister brought into power by [former spy chief] Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed”, saying: “God willing, the law will make its way and prevail.”

When asked about the PTI chief’s announcement of launching the ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’ of courting arrests, the senior PML-N leader said that this movement should start from Zaman Park in Lahore – where Imran Khan is currently residing. “They should go and see what the prisons are all about.”

About the South Punjab province proposal, she said that it was just an election slogan of the PTI but “we will fulfil the promise of making South Punjab a separate province”. About the death of former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf, she said dictatorship has never been seen as good in Pakistan.

Maryam Nawaz urged the youth to play their role in the development of Pakistan after attaining higher education. She stressed that the young people must move forward in every field, particularly the information technology (IT).

When asked about last week’s suicide attack at a mosque in Peshawar, Maryam Nawaz said that the previous PTI-led provincial government did not strengthen institutions during its 10-year rule. “Necessary facilities required by CTD [Counter-terrorism Department] and police were not provided.”