Nawaz lists PML-N feats, rues political persecution

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has rued the atrocities the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) endured in the name of accountability, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Monday.

Addressing a party consultative meeting, he insisted the persons who brought Pakistan at the verge of collapse must be bought to book.

The PML-N leaders and workers including Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz Sharif faced jails, Nawaz said, adding that Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Sanaullah and Hanif Abbasi faced political persecution.

He recalled his daughter Maryam was arrested in front of him just to shatter his resolve.

However, he added that he told Maryam to be brave and stand firm against all odds.

The former prime minister recalled his rule, saying he put an end to load-shedding and terrorism and put the country on track to development.

“The dollar remained at 104 rupees in his four-year rule.

“Motorways were also being built during the PML-N tenure.

“Development was taking place and inflation was continuously decreasing.

“Flour was at Rs35 per kg in our era and petrol was at Rs65 per litre.”

Essential food items, electricity and petrol prices were controlled, he said, adding that the rupee value against the dollar was stable.

He said that in the 1990s, he brought in an economic reform programme and India copied it and emerged as a better economic state.

“Ahsan Iqbal and Sartaj Aziz are witnesses that our economic reform order was followed by India.

“When Vajpayee became Indian Prime Minister, India did not have a billion dollars in treasury, but today they have foreign reserves of 600 billion dollars.

“India made it to the moon and is hosting a G20 meeting, Nawaz said stressing that Pakistan should have done all this.

“Now Pakistan’s PM is made to get a loan and seek aid from other states to meet its needs,” he rued.

A person who makes the country a nuclear power is exiled, put in jail, and sentenced to 27 years in prison, he said questioning if Nawaz Sharif's fault that he made Pakistan a nuclear country.

He stressed four judges sat and sent home a PM having a heavy public mandate

He said General Bajwa and General Faiz were ‘behind all this while Saqib Nisar and Asif Saeed Khosa were their tools’.

 “The persons who brought the country to this stage are the biggest culprits

“In 70 years no one has committed such a crime that has brought the country of 25 crore people to the brink of default.”

“Had the PDM not saved the country from default, petrol price would have been Rs1,000 per litre.

“We saved Pakistan from default by staking our political capital. We have paid the price to save Pakistan from default.

“We have given this sacrifice sincerely for Pakistan.”

He urged his party members to continue serving Pakistan.

Nawaz stressed the PML-N efforts will bear fruit.

He saw success in the election, saying that people will show support and they will secure victory in the polls.