Daily Times

Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PLM-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif said on Sunday that he is ready to face the same hardships that the nation endured but cannot tolerate cruelty towards the people.

Addressing a public gathering in Sialkot, a three-time former premier criticized the PTI government by highlighting the massive hike in petrol prices and the sky-high inflation, which he claimed were absent during his last tenure in power. “Sugar that once sold at a rate of Rs50 per kilogram is now being sold for Rs150,” said Nawaz. He also asked the people to understand the truth about those responsible for the current circumstances in the country, including inflation. Nawaz added the common man can no longer afford even necessities and again gave an example of his earlier tenure, promising people to control inflation and make living more affordable.

Taking a jibe at Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif claimed that the “lion” would roar on the February 8 nationwide polls, while the political rivals would hold “mourning processions” after suffering crushing blows. He criticised that a politician was showing different cards for kisan and labourers in his election rallies as if he were a “referee of a football match”.

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will become the prime minister for the fourth time to restart the development era and rivals will see their defeat on February 8, predicted Shehbaz. Responding to allegations, the former premier asked his opponents whether PML-N was staging rallies in a room in Sialkot.

He said that his party unveiled its manifesto and the youth was looking towards Nawaz. The politico vowed to establish an IT university in Sialkot, besides working efficiently for the betterment of youth’s education and vocational training on modern lines. A day earlier, the PML-N unveiled a cautiously optimistic economic manifesto in a bid to strike a balance between the high hopes of the people and harsh ground realities with regard to the country’s dire financial straits, setting mostly achievable goals without unravelling the economic stability.

Some of the goals are largely in line with the five-year projections given by the International Monetary Fund in its staff report released this month. But the manifesto is silent on the questions of the new IMF bailout package and the treatment of a mounting public debt. The budget and the current account deficit goals suggest that the PML-N, if voted to power, might be thinking of going into an IMF programme. The party also reneged on its promise to give free electricity to those consumers who are consuming 200 units monthly.