After returning home after four years, Sharif pledges to redirect the crisis-hit country toward growth
The three-time prime minister and chief of PML-N Nawaz Sharif returned to his homeland after four years in UK exile, a major event in the country’s politics ahead of general elections.
Addressing a charged crowd in the heart of the provincial capital, the seasoned politician pledged to take care of economic woes, rather than going after those who ousted his government.
“I have not said any such thing which I think I should not have said so I think,” he said at the Minar-e-Pakistan rally in Lahore. He urged all institutions, politicians, and pillars of the state to work together for progress.
میرے دل کے اندر بدلے کی کوئی تمنا نہیں , اگر نوازشریف کے دل میں کوئی تمنا ہے تو یہی ہے کہ میری قوم خوشحال ہوجائے۔#خوش_آمدید_نوازشریف#TheEraOfNawazSharif pic.twitter.com/q8RVZNNIDI
— PMLN (@pmln_org) October 21, 2023
Sharif, 73, recalls the pain he suffered from when his daughter was arrested before his eyes. He recalled that Maryam Nawaz, who was kept in a cell adjacent to her father’s, was not permitted to meet him. Nawaz Sharif shared the heart-wrenching story of his daughter, revealing how she fell unconscious upon learning of her mother’s death, expressing his deep pain over Kalsoom’s demise.
Nawaz Sharif said that the process of inflation had already begun before Shehbaz Sharif’s government as the dollar, the prices of petrol, and other things were going up. He said that he was delivering a speech at a gathering after a long period of six years.
“I took the electricity bill of Nassrullah Khan that was handed over to him in 2016. He received a Rs1317 bill in May 2016 and then his bill in 2022 in Rs15,687. Saeed Akhtar received Rs760 in March 2017 and in August 2022, Akhtar received Rs8220. Was that Shehbaz Sharif?” said Nawaz Sharif.
He added that they built a motorway for Gilgit Baltistan and built a tunnel for Chitral.
The PML-N chief said that the Peshawar to Islamabad motorway and thus Islamabad to Lahore and from Lahore to Multan motorway was also built by their government. Pakistan, he said, was going to become an Asian tiger.
Nawaz Sharif said, “God will help us. We will try again to steer the country out of crises,”.
Nawaz Sharif questioned the audience about the soaring price of petrol, emphasizing that it had been significantly lower during his government. He underlined their past government’s achievement in maintaining control over the value of the dollar.
Reflecting on the past, he noted the potential for eliminating unemployment through continuity in various initiated projects during their rule.
While addressing the ongoing challenges, including surging electricity bills and the cost of two daily meals, Nawaz Sharif emphasized unity among state institutions and stakeholders as the key to addressing the nation’s predicaments.
He called for strict adherence to the Constitution, warning that progress would remain elusive without unity. Nawaz Sharif stressed the need for a fresh journey for the country, appealing to party workers and leaders to pledge their commitment to lead the nation back to the right path.
Nawaz Sharif said that they needed a new journey for the sake of the country and asked the party workers and leaders to promise to take the country back on the right track.
“I’m still passionate even after so many years,” said Nawaz Sharif.
The PML-N said that they needed to make a decision to review their actions to make Pakistan economically strong and to restore the honor and dignity of the country. He said they also needed to review their foreign policy and needed to establish good ties with the neighbors.
Amid his passionate address, he refrained from seeking revenge and expressed a desire for prosperity and employment opportunities for the people. He shared the verses of Mirza Ghalib and indirectly referenced the difficulties his daughter Maryam Nawaz had endured during her arrest.
Nawaz Sharif spoke of the need for Pakistan to regain its status as an Asian tiger and revealed his intentions to steer the country out of crises.
He sought support from the people, particularly the youth, and emphasized the importance of reforming the judicial system. The former Prime Minister highlighted the significance of strong moral values as their narrative and called for unity in the face of challenges.
“At this stage of my age, I just want to see a changed Pakistan. I am here to make you awake. And do not let anyone damage your country,” said Nawaz Sharif, adding that he showed patience during his speech and delivered a careful speech.
“Let’s pray together for the sake of Palestine to save from injustice. We reject attacks on Palestine. We demand the world to ensure justice and resolve the Palestine issue with respect, so the Palestinians can live peacefully. Such injustice in Palestine will never be accepted by the PML-N. Today, I thought that I do not want to abuse anyone against abuse,” he added.
READ: Emotional Moment: Maryam Nawaz's Tearful Reaction to Her Father's Helicopter
