Daily Times

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz took a jibe at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) saying the entire opposition party can fit in a Qingqi rickshaw following defections in the wake of May 9 violence. “Today he himself is the president, general secretary, chief organiser and spokesperson of the party and the only candidate of his party,” she said while referring to PTI chief Imran Khan. The ruling party leader made these remarks while addressing the PML-N’s youth convention in Punjab’s Shujabad city on Sunday. At the rally, the PML-N stalwart was also coronated with gold tiara studded with beautiful pearls.

Unlike PTI, Maryam said the PML-N did not dismantle because “it is the people’s party and not a fake party”. She said the PTI “which was formed after the hard work of 26 years, disintegrated in 26 minutes”. She said the real enemy of the country was identified after May 9 tragedy which saw attacks on public and military installations in many parts of the country following the arrest of the PTI chief. “The chapter of chaos and anarchy has ended and now the journey of progress will begin,” the PML-N leader added.

Dozens of PTI leaders including Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry, Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Ali Zaidi and other shave quit the party over May 9 mayhem while senior leaders including Asad Umar and Parvez Khattak stepped down from party positions citing the same reason. Several PTI deserters have joined Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) launched by sugar baron Jahangir Tareen with an aim to “set new direction in the country’s politics”. Maryam also hailed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Mnister Ishaq saying they presented the “best budget” despite difficult economic situation.

She said the PM and finance minister “saved the country” from default without the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package. “Even in difficult economic conditions, the salaries of government employees of up to grade 16 were increased by 30%,” she said. She said the country’s economy would take off when PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, who has been living London since November 2019 on medical grounds, returns to the country. Finance Minister Dar on Friday unboxed a Rs14.46 trillion budget for the fiscal year 2023-24, introducing “no new taxes” and envisaging an economic growth of 3.5% as the crisis-riven country looks to persuade the IMF to release more bailout money.