Saqib Nisar was a ‘pawn’ in Nawaz’s ouster: Shehbaz

Says country was advancing on all fronts until 'conspiracy swept everything away'

LAHORE:

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday took a swipe at the former chief justice of Pakistan, Saqib Nisar, asserting that if he had not been used as a pawn to topple Nawaz Sharif’s government, Pakistan would not be grappling with challenges on all fronts.

Speaking to the media at the party’s central secretariat, the former prime minister lamented that under Nawaz’s leadership, the country had been advancing towards economic stability, agricultural development, and the eradication of 24-hour load shedding in 2017-18 until a conspiracy swept everything away.

Shehbaz was sharing a comprehensive vision for Pakistan's progress and development.
Talking about PTI’s stint, he criticised the former ruling party that emerged from that "conspiracy", accusing it of reneging on commitments with the IMF, causing damage to diplomatic relations, and internal strife, and pushing Pakistan to the brink of default.

Admitting that tackling these challenges was no small feat, he expressed that the party understands the difficulty of eliminating hatred, but it is a challenge the party is dedicated to overcoming.
“We are committed to healing and uniting our nation.”

Read Nawaz hails Shehbaz’s leadership during challenging times

Shehbaz shared Nawaz Sharif's aspiration to restart the journey where it was discontinued in 2017. "This will be a double-track journey – a commitment to rectify economic issues and steer the country away from bankruptcy. We worked day and night to save the nation from a cataclysmic collapse."

Acknowledging the importance of education, he emphasised, "Our best wealth is the young generation—the future of Pakistan. By equipping them with knowledge and modern education, we can ensure progress.

Initiatives like the IT centre and university in Arfa Karim Tower are steps in the right direction."Shehbaz concluded with a call for unity, stating, "It is essential for Pakistan to move in one direction. Nawaz Sharif's previous tenure is a testament to the positive impact we can make when we work collectively for the betterment of the nation."

When asked about PML-N’s position on electables, a practice his party had vehemently criticised in the past but was accommodating in these elections, he termed it a ‘political decision’.

In response to a question about the court’s decision to deprive PTI of its election symbol ‘bat’ which ended up disenfranchising millions of its supporters, he said that PML-N was not to be blamed for it, adding that it was PTI that had failed to conduct proper intra-party elections.