Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz said on Sunday that Nawaz Sharif criticised individuals, not institutions, in his virtual speech at the first public meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Gujranwala on October 16.
Addressing the second meeting of the PDM, an alliance of 11 opposition political parties trying to dislodge the incumbent government led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), at Karachi’s Jinnah Garden, Maryam said she would salute the Pakistan Army because it was her army. She criticised the prime minister for banning Nawaz Sharif’s speech on the mainstream media. She said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) were working under Imran Khan’s instructions. She said Imran Khan was using the army to hide her own failures. She said that Nawaz fought Kashmir’s case and carried out nuclear tests.
Opening her speech, Maryam recalled a meeting with former PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto in Saudi Arabia. She said the meeting took place when her family was living in exile in Saudi Arabia and Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari had visited her family. She said that Benazir treated her like a kind mother. She said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari considered her his elder sister and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari considered her his own daughter.
Referring to the Sindh government’s role in the fight against coronavirus, Maryam said she would salute Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah for his active role in curbing the spread of coronavirus in the province. She warned those who were thinking about banning the PML-N, saying that nobody could ban her party. She said the PML-N should not be treated like the Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q).
Referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s speech after PDM’s October 16 meeting, Maryam said fear was reflecting from every word of the prime minister. She said that Imran Khan was under immense pressure after PDM’s first public meeting in Gujranwala. She said that Imran Khan should learn from Nawaz Sharif who did not take any pressure even after 126-day long protest of the PTI. She said that Imran Khan’s worth was not more than a paid employee.
Reacting to Imran Khan’s remarks that Maryam is a grandmother and not a young girl anymore, Maryam explained the benefits of being a naani (grandmother). She said the prime minister called her a naani in complete disregard for the Pakistani women’s rights.
Talking about the recent wave of price hike in the country, Maryam asked Imran Khan to explain why he snatched poor people’s bread, jobs and medicines. She said the prime minister promised 10 million jobs and five million houses to the poor, but he had yet to honour any of these promises. She said that fall of Kashmir and depreciation of rupee were some of the gifts Imran Khan had given to people of Pakistan.
Referring to the detention of Jang Group chief executive officer Mir Shakeel-Ur-Rehman, she asked: How long will keep him behind the bars.