ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said that no compromise would be made on the “respect of vote”.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo, while addressing party leaders in the federal capital, said that his party must further mobilise the citizens for the cause of democracy.
“Our country will only continue on the path of development if the vote of the citizens is not respected,” he said.
The veteran politician said that a majority of his party’s leaders are brave and not to be intimidated easily and disrespecting the constitution should not continue anymore.
Discussing corruption cases against him, the veteran politician advised his party workers to not lose hope even if he was jailed.
“I have always respected the institutions,” he said, adding that his case “was not based on abuse of power or corruption allegations”.
He stressed that his party made sincere efforts to work for the betterment of the country and its citizens.
On Sunday, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari lashed out at Nawaz and the ruling PML-N for its ‘respect the vote’ slogan.
“Where was ‘respect for vote’ when Nawaz took dictation from General Ziaul Haq,” Bilawal questioned while speaking to the media in Multan.
“Nawaz has followed ‘orders’ all his life, now he is talking about respecting the vote,” the PPP chairman said, adding that the PML-N has always “taken dictation” from others.
Bilawal asked that where his slogan was when he removed the slain premier Benazir Bhutto from office in the 1990s when he was conspiring against Benazir, Junejo and Chaudhries.
The PPP chief said that he hopes the upcoming transfer of power from one civilian government to another will be peaceful.
The country has weak democracy, he said, adding that the way democracy progressed in the last 10 years has not happened before.
In response to a question, he said that he has a lot of expectations from the chief justice.
“I cannot stop someone and only advise,” he said, adding that the judges do not speak themselves but through their judgments.