QUETTA – Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took a strong exception to his ouster from office and expressed that the judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) had issued a verdict against him.
Addressing a rally of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party today (Saturday) at Quetta’s Ayub Stadium, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz President vowed that he would restore civilian supremacy and sanctity of the vote in the country.
‘This minus plus formula has been in effect for seven decades but masses would not accept it’ Nawaz Sharif claimed.
Sharif who ordered to remove the bulletproof glass attached in front of the rostrum before kicking off his address, continued that the masses would again bolster the position of PML-N in the next general elections.
Referring to the Panama case verdict that led to his disqualification from the top slot, Sharif said that such type of decisions destroyed the country.
‘These type of rulings stir chaos across the country’ he noted and added that the masses rejected the decision of his disqualification stemming out of Panama Papers.
Taking a jibe at the procedure opted regarding the Panama case, the politician declared that a single bench issued multiple rulings.
Lamenting his disqualification, he said he was removed from office for not drawing a salary from his son’s company.
‘Was Nawaz Sharif ousted because he did not stay sadiq and ameen after not receiving salary from his son’s company?” he asked, to which the crowd cheered ‘shame!’.
The former lawmaker claimed that corruption worth a single penny was not reported during his stint and so he was victimised.
Highlighting the achievements of his governments, the former premier expressed that when he assumed office, the country was facing 20-hour load-shedding but it was reduced under his leadership.
‘It was the vision of my party that has now resulted in the network of roads and motorways being constructed that will connect Balochistan to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and the capital’ Nawaz Sharif observed.
He went a mile more and claimed that the people in Quetta would be able to reach Islamabad in eight hours soon.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief also said that he would continue to practice ideological politics.
Lavishing praise on the people of Balochistan, Nawaz Sharif said that they had always crusaded against dictatorships and are the ones who had truly upheld the constitution.
The rally was organised on the 44th death anniversary of Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai, father of PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai and praising his services, Nawaz Sharif said the Pashtun nationalist gave a lot of sacrifices and spent 24 years in jail for the sake of ‘ideology’.
Sharif said the late leader had wished to see roads in Pakistan like those in Afghanistan.
‘We have implemented his vision… roads and motorways better than Afghanistan exist in Balochistan today,’ the former prime minister claimed.
The politician noted that the ruling PML-N and PkMAP were tied in an ‘ideological bond’ assuring PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai of his support at every step.
PkMAP is an ally of the ruling PML-N and is part of the coalition government in Balochistan that includes PML-N and National Party.
Earlier, Sharif left for Quetta from his Jati Umrah residence and was received by PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai from where he headed to address the rally.
The Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) president had been invited to address the rally by PkMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
The Quetta address of embattled Sharif was important because, during his last appearance before the accountability court, Nawaz Sharif had expressed that he knew some important aspects regarding the Panama Papers controversy but hastened to add that he would disclose that in a few days.
This was the first public rally to be addressed by former premier after the controversy and sit-ins that were staged regarding Khatam e Nabuwwat clause of recently passed Election Act 2017.
According to disputed media reports, the former premier would be heading to London after today’s address where his wife is battling cancer and has undergone three surgeries.
The elder Sharif has also moved a petition seeking exemption from physical appearance before the accountability court, a decision against which is still pending.
