‘Musharraf, all plunderers to be held accountable’

• Welcoming his accountability, PM raises questions about allegations, nature of cases
• Nawaz says people to respond to foul language, allegations through their votes

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said that his political opponents after miserably failing to establish an iota of corruption or misuse of national exchequer against him, had started levelling false allegations against his family and their private business.

Addressing a gathering of party workers at the residence of Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif, the prime minister said that his family had been asked to provide money trail from 1972 when he was a school going child. He called for justification of deprivation of their factory under the nationalisation drive by the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto government.

He said that the late Bhutto had seized his father’s factory and handed over to his party workers. From the last 44 years history, he asked his opponents to provide any evidence of corruption, commission or kickbacks against him or his family. He said that his recent government had saved Rs 168 billion alone in three power projects, but they were still accused of plunder.

The prime minister welcomed his accountability but questioned that first, they should be informed about the allegations and nature of cases. He said that only questions about their family businesses had been raised. He also expressed the confidence that those people who had mercilessly plundered the national exchequer including former military ruler Pervez Musharraf would also be held accountable.

“If I have no pains for the country, I had accepted hefty offer from the US government at that time and did not opt for the atomic blasts, making the country an atomic power,” he added. In apparent allusion to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman, the prime minister said that the people had not voted him to rule them.

“So how it could come that you rule the country as a prime minister. The people of Pakistan will not let you to do such shabby politics,” he said. He said that on daily basis, his political opponents were using foul language and levelling hollow allegations.

But they were not reciprocating with the same, declaring that in 2018, people of the land would respond to these antics through their votes, he said. He said that he had been very concerned for the future of country’s youth and the unemployment issue. He said that his government worked day and night to brighten up Pakistan with execution of unprecedented development energy and infrastructure projects.

“Now Pakistan is on the path of progress and prosperity and will be soon amongst the fast developed countries of the world,” he announced. The prime minister said these were the strenuous efforts on part of his government which had alarmed their political foes. Expressing his dismay over the retrogressive politics of his opponents, he said conspiracies were being hatched from 2014 in the shape of sit-ins and still continued in different forms.

In an apparent reference to the PTI leadership, the prime minister said they tried to stall government’s efforts to end crippling load shedding, eliminate terrorism, obstruct CPEC and under construction motorways and highways projects. He stressed upon his political opponents to consider the national interests supreme.

On the occasion, the prime minister commended services of Khawaja Muhammad Asif and his family for the party and mentioned his life long association with him since 1964. He also praised the minister’s eloquence as an orator. He observed that the elected representatives of the party should visit their constituencies regularly to let themselves know about the public issues and to resolve them.

He said Nawaz Sharif had no concerns in the presence of such devoted leaders and workers. A large number of party workers and local leaders loudly welcomed the prime minister and kept on chanting the slogans. Speaking on the occasion, Khawaja Asif said the people of Sialkot always supported PML-N candidates in the local bodies and general elections.

Using foul language in the public gatherings and yearning for power through backdoor means would not succeed, he said while referring to the PTI leadership. He said no one could match the prime minister in his composure and behaviour towards his political opponents. He said their opponents were conspiring against the prime minister’s agenda of development and prosperity.