- PML-N supremo says restriction on political parties from projecting govts’ achievements is ‘unfair’
- Former premier questions PTI govt’s performance in KP, says no project initiated by it has been completed
ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday termed the code of conduct for the upcoming general elections issued by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as unfair, saying the restriction on political parties from projecting their governments’ work is actually targetted at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
Speaking to the media outside the accountability court, Nawaz also criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and claimed that the Imran Khan-led party could not deliver anything worthwhile in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the last five years. The ousted premier questioned which projects were initiated and completed by the ruling PTI in the province, adding that everyone can see what happened to the ‘tall’ claims made by Imran Khan.
Nawaz also questioned the nomination of Manzoor Afridi as the caretaker chief minister of KP.
“He is the brother of an incumbent senator belonging to the PTI,” he said, adding that it appeared to be a case of “billi ko doodh ki rakhwali pe bitha dia hai (a person with vested interest being put in charge)” and “andha bantay rewrian (a blind person distributing sweet treats)”.
The former premier also said the ruling PML-N was the only party that can be credited for working throughout its five-year tenure. “My party completed power projects, introduced the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and restored peace in Karachi,” he added.
“We uprooted terrorism, constructed motorways, earlier, there was load shedding for 22 hours in Ramzan, now the power supply remains uninterrupted,” he said.
Nawaz claimed that his current legal battle is identical to the 1999 hijacking case in which he was convicted and awarded 27 years of imprisonment.
“Plane hijacking case and National Accountability Bureau’s references against me are a ‘joke’,” he said.
He also remarked that his statements and stance will prove to be victorious. “Victory is the future of my statements. There is no other option than victory.”
He also discussed a BBC story that highlighted the partial ban on several media organisations in Pakistan, saying that the situation is alarming and that keeping the media under pressure is tantamount to pre-poll rigging.
