LAHORE – Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who arrived in Pakistan from Dubai on Saturday afternoon after living in self-imposed exile in London for four years, told his supporters in Lahore he did not want to take revenge on anyone and the only thing he wanted was the welfare of the people of Pakistan.
Addressing a public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan on Saturday evening, Sharif said he wanted to serve the nation and Pakistan needed to make progress with double speed. He said he worked day and night to solve Pakistan’s problems, but he and his family members were implicated in cases and imprisoned. He said he provided relief to people when they were facing 18-hour power loadshedding and decreased the power tariff. He said some wounds never heal; his wife passed away when he was in jail and his mother died when he was in exile.
Sharif said that state institutions, political parties and the pillars of the state would have to work in unison. He said that he could say on the basis of 40 years of his experience that Pakistan could not make progress until and unless all stakeholders don’t work together. He said that all stakeholders would have to work together to take Pakistan forward and cure the disease, which derails the system again and again. He asked his supporters not to allow anyone to play havoc with Pakistan’s fate again. He said that he showed extreme level of patience today and didn’t say anything that he shouldn’t have said. He condemned the Israeli violence against Palestinians and called upon the world to find a solution to the Palestine conflict.
Sharif said that Pakistan could not make progress by engaging in fight with its neighbours. He said that Pakistan would have to move forward on the Kashmir issue in strategic manner.
The former three-time prime minister landed at the Lahore airport after a brief stay in Islamabad. He boarded a helicopter to reach the venue as he is accompanied by former finance minister Ishaq Dar, former law minister Azam Nazir Tarar and others.
Thousands of PML-N workers flocked to Lahore to welcome their leader, who will first land in Islamabad and will then move to the provincial capital.
چیف آرگنائزر مسلم لیگ ن مریم نوازشریف کی جلسہ گاہ آمد#خوش_آمدید_نوازشریف pic.twitter.com/KjfojyWdYt
— Zeeshan Malik (@ZeshanMalick) October 21, 2023
Huge caravans of party workers are moving toward Lahore to accord a big welcome to the party’s supremo at Mianr-e-Pakistan.
A special train is reaching Lahore today while another passenger coach dubbed ‘Umeed-e-Pakistan’ is on its way to Punjab capital – the home to PML-N.
Party workers from Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Jhelum, Peshawar, Quetta, Haiderabad, and Gilgit started reaching Lahore as they were jubilant on the big day.
Nawaz party members arranged over 40,000 chairs at Iqbal Park for the grand rally with heavy lights, music, and large screens arranged for the address of the former premier.
Traffic Plan for Lahore
The Lahore traffic police has issued a plan to manage traffic ahead of a public gathering by the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PMLN) at Minar-e-Pakistan today (Friday).
Former three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif reached Pakistan earlier in the day as his flight landed at the Islamabad airport for a short stay. He is now travelling to Lahore via same flight. The PML-N supremo is expected to go the rally point through a helicopter.
The traffic advisory issued by the police said 16 parking spots have been established for people visiting the place to attend the rally.
Convoys coming from Gujrat, Gujranwala, Kamonki and Muridke will enter the Lahore through the Eastern Bypass from Kala Shah Kaku, while rallies coming from Sargodha, Faisalabad and the motorway will use Saggian point and Ring Road.
Similarly, rallies coming from Okara, Sahiwal, and Multan will reach the Minar-e-Pakistan through motorway Babu Sabu- Bandar Road- Niazi Shaheed Chowk.
Furthermore, the normal traffic will remain closed between Sheranwala and Minar-e-Pakistan section.
