Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif concluded the party’s election campaign on Tuesday with a fervent appeal to the voters to shun ‘conman’ who ruined the country through lies and false promises and vote for progress and development of the country on Thursday (tomorrow).
Addressing the PML-N’s final election rally in Khadian Khas, Nawaz strongly criticised his rivals, particularly the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He promised maga development project for the country should he become the prime minister for the fourth time.
In his address, Nawaz often referred to his previous stints as the prime minister when, he said, the country was steady on its path to become an ‘Asian Tiger’ – a term he used for a rapid economic growth. He added that if his governments continued, Pakistan would have become a developed country.
“If our government hadn't been ousted, Pakistan would be free of unemployment today. We could have become the 'Asian Tiger',” the three-time former prime minister asserted. “So, let’s not allow charlatans to regain power. They have wreaked havoc on Pakistan.”
Nawaz told a charged crowd that February 8 was still two days away but he could see the jubilation and the exuberance of youth among the people. “Pakistan was happy in Nawaz Sharif’s tenure and Insha Allah, I will bring back this happiness to Pakistan,” he pledged.
Nawaz said that he was holding the party’s last election meeting in Khadian, from where the PML-N President and his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif was contesting the election. He assured that on February 9, the destiny of Khadian would change forever.
Reflecting on his previous tenure in government, Nawaz highlighted the challenges he faced and emphasized overcoming them successfully.
He noted that while his administration worked diligently to propel the country forward by addressing issues like load-shedding, infrastructure development, and counterterrorism efforts, his opponents were preoccupied with disruptive sit-ins, in apparent reference to PTI
“He (Imran) had said that he would give 5 million houses, but has anyone got the house. Where did those 5 million houses go, where did 10 million jobs go? Where did the 350 dams go? Where did the billion tree project go? Instead, Pakistan lost billions of rupees,” he said taking a swipe at PTI founder.
He also compared the commodity prices during the PML-N’s government with those during the tenure of the PTI. “Today, the prices have become so high, while in our time, one kilo of vegetables was available for Rs10, one tola of gold was available for Rs50,000. How much is it worth today?”
“There were frauds, they ruined Pakistan. This injustice should never happen in Pakistan again. So, do not allow these criminals come back to Pakistan,” he said, adding: “We will rebuild this country and the youth will join us in the development of the country.”
Addressing the rally, PML-N Chief Organiser Maryam Nawaz, exhorted the PTI’s supporters to bury the politics of hatred and that she was ready to forget everything that had happened in the past. “I have a message for the youth of the PTI, who are in jails, stop hate, and I will forget everything.”
She recalled that there was character assassination of Nawaz Sharif and her. “There was mudslinging against us. I lost my mother in this struggle. However, we did not criticise him [Imran] when court decisions came against him,” she said.
She also criticised the political rivals, who said that Nawaz’s politics was over. “Today, politics starts with Nawaz Sharif and ends with Nawaz Sharif. Even so, the speech of Nawaz Sharif’s opponents starts with Nawaz Sharif and ends with Nawaz Sharif,” she said.
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