Shehbaz Sharif prefers 'comparison' to 'debate' with Bilawal Bhutto

PML-N President and former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has declared that the upcoming general elections will decide the fate of the country and the masses will decide about the performance of the PDM government, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Addressing a news conference in Lahore on Sunday, Shehbaz Sharif said he wants a “comparison” with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and not a debate. “However, recent rains in Karachi have proved that they are no match to us,” he added.

To a question, Shehbaz Sharif remarked that he was not interested in shaking hands with PTI founder chairman Imran Khan.

صدر پاکستان مسلم لیگ (ن) محمد شہباز شریف کی اہم نیوز کانفرنس۔ https://t.co/UkXmZwT33t

— PMLN (@pmln_org) February 4, 2024

Shehbaz Sharif said Nawaz Sharif put the country on economic recovery path and started mega projects every time he came into power.

Shehbaz Sharif mocked PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over his repeated challenge for a live debate, as he cited the example of heavy rain paralyzing the daily life in Karachi, which, he said, was enough to compare the performance of PPP and PML-N.

He said Nawaz secured China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) bringing in investment of 46 billion dollars in Pakistan, while PTI govt led by Imran Niazi set new examples of mega corruption in the history of the country.

Shehbaz Sharif said Nawaz Sharif started motorway project in 1997 against all odds and the opponents failed to prove corruption charges in the project.

He noted that the massive rallies held in different towns and cities were a proof of how much love and support the masses had for Nawaz Sharif – the three-time prime minister - who was eyeing a record fourth stint in office.

He said it seemed that the people would give a clear mandate to the PML-N to govern the country for the next five years.

About the alleged political victimisation of the PTI founder Imran Khan, Shehbaz said the same person used to claim that he won’t spare anyone and send everyone to prison, as the rivals were booked in bogus cases, at a time when he himself resorted to corrupt practices.

Democracy doesn’t mean that a person involved in illegal activities should be forgiven, he replied in response to a query.

Millions of voters would decide their future through use of ballot on February 8 which his party was going to accept, Shehbaz said, as he listed the achievements of his party under Nawaz Sharif’s government in the past.

Shehbaz said Pakistan witnessed billions of dollars of investment during Nawaz Sharif’s 2013-17 government and the corruption perception index measured by the Transparency International came down during PML-N tenure in 2017.

He mentioned that all sorts of allegations were levelled against the Nawaz government; however, nothing was proven because of the unfounded nature of accusations. Millions of people were benefitting from the projects – including motorways and mass transit systems – launched by the PML-N, Shehbaz added.

On the other hand, the corruption perception index went up during the PTI stint in government, he noted and cited the cases of first allowing the exports and then the imports of sugar and wheat as examples – the moves, he noted, which caused a loss of billions of dollars to Pakistan.

The PML-N president again recalled the case of destroying the people-oriented services and facilities like PKLI and hepatitis centres as well as stopping the supply of free medicines during the PTI tenure.

Shehbaz said the fake slogans revolving around labelling others thieves only caused uncertainty and frictions in society.

The PTI founding chairman himself used to say that there would be less corruption when there was an honest leader, he remarked and said the Transparency International endorsed the assertion by declaring him more corrupt.

Shehbaz said the PTI government was a product of witchcraft and rigging, adding that the baseless allegations like receiving 45 per cent in the projects funded by China had been spread by the rival party, which chanted the slogans of dacoits and thieves to destabilize Pakistan.

He also highlighted the role played by the then chief justice Saqib Nisar in destroying the PKLI and delaying the Orange Line and said the same judge had declared the PTI chief as Sadiq and Amin [Honest and Truthful].

Campaigning without any fear and restriction is a right of every candidate, but buying voters by distributing money is an insult to the people, he said – a reference to the revelation that the PPP supporters were caught red-handed as they were distributing money to the locals in the constituency from where their chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is contesting election for National Assembly in Lahore.