‘Imran’s attempt to weaken army backfired’

Maryam Nawaz has claimed that former prime minister Imran Khan wanted to bring the army to its knees by launching an attack on military installations on May 9 but his plan backfired.

“He [Imran] had ordered his people to set military installations on fire upon his arrest [on May 9], thinking that he would be able to bring military to its knees, though his plan backfired,” Maryam, the political scion of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, said on Sunday.

She was addressing a rally in the Shujabad area of Multan.

The PML-N senior vice president, who devoted a greater part of her speech to lambasting the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, said today Imran Khan is using YouTube “to reach out to those he wanted to bring to their knees, but they are not responding. This is called divine justice.”

Referring to Imran, Maryam said the mastermind of May 9 vandalism was hiding in Zaman Park.

“Instead of taking responsibility, Imran is blaming his workers. As youth misguided by him languish in jail, he writes that he is reminiscing about the time he spent up north with his kids.

“Leaders face life with courage; go to prison holding hands of their daughters,” she added in a reference to her father Nawaz Sharif.

“The man whose hand constructed the country brick by brick—building motorways, expressways and hospitals—did not ask people to resort to violence. Those who fought terrorism in the country don’t commit terrorism,” the PML-N leader said.

She said Imran Khan once said that his kids were not safe in Pakistan. “Asking his kids to enjoy their lives abroad, Imran Khan gave matches and petrol bombs to Pakistani youth,” she said.

Maryam said Imran Khan in his arrogance claimed that he would make the PML-N cry and break the party. Now those who wanted to make us cry are crying their eyes out, she said.

“Those who wanted to break our party are history themselves. The entire remaining party [PTI] can now travel on a Qinchi [a three wheeler],” she said in a reference to the mass exodus of PTI leaders from the party in the wake of a governmental crackdown following the May 9 incident.

“Imran is now the president, general secretary, chief organizer, spokesperson, election candidate and voter of the PTI. [As] no one would even vote for him [now],” she said.

She said the reason why the PML-N did not disintegrate was that the PML-N is a genuine party, and Nawaz Sharif is the son of the soil. “Imran Khan claimed that he built the party after a 26-year struggle but that party could not last for 26 minutes.”

Referring to PTI former secretary general Jahangir Khan Tareen who helped Imran Khan in establishing his government after July 2018 polls by allegedly using his private airplane for ferrying lawmakers, Maryam said the airplane which once helped build the PTI was now doing the opposite.

Tareen has recently announced his own party, the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) which comprises dozens of politicians who left the PTI after the May 9 riots.

She said the May 9 incidents had allowed the people to see the real enemy and instigator. “And now that chapter is closed. Now we will talk about bringing people together, compassion and love,” she said.

Best budget

Maryam commended Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar for presenting the best budget and saving the country from default despite difficult times.

“Salaries of government employees up to grade-16 have been raised by 35%, loans taken by widows have been written-off and the minimum wage has been increased to Rs33,000,”she said.