ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Tuesday that the former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif orchestrated unprecedented development in every sphere of national life during the last four years, including tackling terrorism and rescuing the country from its energy crisis, in spite of persistent agitations, sit-ins and the politics of false allegations.
“What he did could not be done in the last 66 years,” said Aurangzeb as she talked to the media on the eve of a calligraphy exhibition to be held at the National Council of the Arts.
She added that Nawaz Sharif continued the journey of development against all odds and fulfilled his pledges with the nation well before time.
She said that the present government had made the entire nation happy by saying adieu to load shedding forever during the month of Rabiul Awal.
“The people would hold conspirators accountable through their vote in the elections of 2018,” she remarked.
Marriyum said that the former prime minister appeared before the court along with his family members to uphold the supremacy of law and the constitution whereas the “biggest liar and thief” was running away from the courts. He finally made an appearance on repeated insistence by the PML-N, she added.
She asked whether anyone would hold the man accountable for abusing the ECP and the parliament, obstructing the process of development during the last four and a half years and remaining a fugitive from the courts.
She remarked that PTI had never played any role in the development of the country. Imran Khan had also not participated in any legislative process, including electoral reforms bill and constitutional amendments, and invariably preferred to stay away, she added.
Marriyum observed that with a view to conceal the corruption of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government and its ministers in the tree plantation campaign Imran had locked the ehtisab commission of the province.
The minister said that after continuously criticizing the “jangla bus” for four years Imran announced to emulate the project in KPK but so far had not been able to erect even a single railing.
She said that when the PML-N assumed power in 2013 the total production of electricity in the country was 9,280 MW against the demand of 11,800 MW whereas currently the country was producing 16,480 MW, well above the demand of 14,017 MW. She said that 7,465 MW of additional electricity had been added to the system.
The minister observed that the opposition parties, particularly PTI, were trying to belittle the significance of this success.
She said that even today Imran Khan was lying about the achievements of the government standing on the container like he did during the last four years by resorting to fabrication of lies and hurling allegations and abuses against the state institutions.
She said that Imran was still doling negative politics against the government and the state institutions. Imran should abandon the politics of hurling unsubstantiated allegations against others and come to the parliament to discuss the national issues, she added.
In response to a question, the minister asked how those who talked about politics of principles did not care about them, for example when they abused parliament and withdrew their resignations after tendering them.
Responding to a question about Musharraf, she remarked that he was an absconder from the court.
Answering another question about whether the government would appeal against Lahore Court’s decision of making the Justice Najfi report public, the minister said that it was the prerogative of the Punjab government to take a decision in that regard as the issue pertained to the provincial government.
The minister said that they had to work collectively to take the country forward adding that all the state institutions would have to play their role in consonance with law and the constitution.
She expressed the hope that the country would soon get rid of the scourge of terrorism. She observed that the country had made unparalleled sacrifices in fighting terrorism.
Answering a question about the calligraphy exhibition, Marriyum said that its inauguration in the holy month was of great significance in regards to expression of love for the holy prophet and Almighty Allah through the art of calligraphy. She said that the Rawalpindi Arts Council was playing an important role in the projection of the culture of Potohar.
The minister later participated in the mehfil-e-milad.
