Daily Times

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday urged the people to avenge the rigging of the 2018 general elections with the power of their mandate during the upcoming general elections by defeating the political masquerades of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He said during the 2018 rigged polls, Imran Niazi and his clique were brought to power but the people of Faisalabad would defeat them in the general elections by massively supporting the PML-N candidates.

Addressing a ceremony after laying the foundation stone of development projects, including the Faisalabad Satyana bypass linking Motorway-3, the prime minister said during the PTI’s four years rule, not a single brick was laid on the projects initiated by the PML-N government rather than a barrage of baseless and awkward allegations were levelled against the opposition leadership.

“Imran Niazi was made a prime minister through rigged polls (Jhurloo elections), with malfunctioning of RTS and the PML-N was deprived of its seats”, he added. The prime minister sneered that contrary to Imran Niazi’s tall claims for a vast network of public welfare projects, nothing tangible could be witnessed. Where were those 300 billion dollars, they claimed were parked abroad! he remarked and jeered that not a single penny could be brought back.

The prime minister further castigated the PTI chairman for his claims against seeking financial support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and said rather he reneged on the agreement and conspired and burdened the coalition government.

The ceremony was attended by ministers, parliamentarians, relevant authorities, party leaders and a large number of people.

The prime minister said if the people give mandate to the PML-N in the next general elections, Nawaz Sharif would be the prime minister and under his guidance, he would work as an ordinary worker.

“We, all along with our coalition partners in the government, shall set the country on path of progress and prosperity,” he declared. The prime minister also commended Nawaz Sharif for initiating billions dollars CPEC projects and said during his tenure, inflation was locked at 3.5 per cent. If the people decided to bring Nawaz Sharif to power in the upcoming elections, within a decade, the former prime minister would transform the country to compete India on the economic fronts, he added. He assured that if given a chance, they promised ‘to fight for Pakistan and secure its lost place among the comity of nations and will break the begging bowl by sending its pieces to be decorated around Banigala’. He opined that such achievement would not be possible with witchcraft but by hard work, sincerity and devotion. Under the guidance of Nawaz Sharif from 2013-2018, he said, the development journey of the country continued with its economy skyrocketing, but through a conspiracy involving former chief justice Saqib Nisar who was then heading the coterie, disqualified the former prime minister in Iqama case. That journey was ended, he said, adding that he had reminded the officials at that time that a day would arrive when they would repent of bringing Imran Niazi to power.

He said that his government had distributed Rs 100 billion across Pakistan after the last year’s devastating floods that had affected millions of people. He said they had steered the country out of default due to the joint efforts of a coalition government. The prime minister also announced to give millions of laptops to the young people if came to power besides, developing agriculture, natural resources and minerals sectors. About the hike in prices of electricity, the prime minister maintained that it was not applicable to those consumers using up to 200 units. He regretted that the 190 million pounds fraud story and proceeds from the Toshakhana watch sale should have been deposited in the national exchequer or donated to the students of Danish schools instead of making way into pockets of PTI’s leadership.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Communications Maulana Asad Mahmood said that the mega road network projects were initiated and completed under the PML-N governments and the leadership of the Sharif brothers. Criticizing the PTI’s government, he said they had played havoc with the country and its institutions, adding under the leadership of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, amir of JUI-F, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was formed which constitutionally get rid of PTI’s corrupt regime. The person who claimed to have restricted the federal government within the jurisdiction of the federal capital had been restricted to Zaman Park in Lahore now, he said without naming PTI chairperson Imran Khan.

The minister expressed confidence that the next government would be formed by the allied parties in the federal government. Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah said these two development projects would cost Rs10 billion and help save fuel, and time and spur economic activities in the district. He said that due to the personal interest of the prime minister during his tenure as chief minister of Punjab had completed different mega uplift projects in Faisalabad, adding serving the masses was practically proved by the Sharif brothers. The minister berated the PTI’s government and its leadership for their failure to initiate any development project in the country, adding the PML-N government was removed through a conspiracy which badly affected the country’s economy and politics. “Whenever Pakistan is mired into crises, it was always Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N that steered the country out of challenges,” he said while commending Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his relentless efforts for the country during the last fourteen months of the government.