GUJRAT/GUJRANWALA: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday said the right to rule rests with the masses and that everybody should respect sanctity of the vote. “Mockery of the sanctity of vote should come to an end now. It is the will of the people that should prevail to elect their representatives and give them chance to serve them,” he said while addressing a rally here. “Nawaz Sharif is with you today,” the deposed prime minister told his supporters. “You elected me … didn’t you? They have removed Nawaz Sharif, but they cannot remove him from your hearts,” he said. “They’ve only removed me on paper. Is this removing me at all? [If it were up to you] you can make me prime minister again tomorrow,” he said. “It is unfortunate that for the last 70 years the mandate of masses had been mocked and no prime minister in the country could complete his tenure in the government,” he said, adding after coming to power fulfillment of promises was his prime priority but he was not allowed to fulfill this agenda. “I promised you to end load shedding, create jobs, revive economy and carry forward development. But, once again I had been dethroned and was not given time to serve you.” He said with the steps taken by his government, load shedding had decreased and CNG was available at stations, tube wells were irrigating agriculture land and jobs were being created under the game changer dynamic CPEC project. “I struggled for progress and fulfillment of promises made to you. Had I not been disqualified, situation would have changed,” he added. The deposed prime minister said this trend of sending home the elected prime ministers should end now. “Why I was sent home when there was no corruption charge against me. Could I be disqualified for not getting salary from my son’s company?” he questioned. Nawaz said if there was no charge of corruption, kickbacks or commission against him, then why he was disqualified. “If load shedding dwindled in my tenure and peace was restored in Karachi, FATA and Balochistan, then is it a crime?” The culture of ‘might is right’ can no more survive in the country, he said, as he sought masses support to change this culture. “My case in Gujranwala’s court is to find out why the people of Gujranwala think I was removed,” he continued. “Was it because I eliminated load shedding? Was it because the economy was improving? Was it because people were getting jobs? Was it because roads were being constructed and factories were being set up? Or was it because peace was being brought to the country?” he asked, to a resounding ‘no!’ at each question. “These things did not suit them [the conspirators],” he continued. “They could not tolerate this. They were thinking if this continues, Nawaz will be elected again. Tell me, people of Gujranwala, was this not what they were thinking,” he asked to a resounding ‘yes!’ Published in Daily Times, August 12th 2017.