Daily Times

PML-N supremo and three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif Wednesday said that the parliament has been made a ‘puppet and rubber stamp’.

“The parliament is not being run by the elected representatives as someone else is making decisions regarding the legislation,” Nawaz told PML-N’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting via video link from London.

The meeting was also attended by Raja Zafar ul Haq, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Asif, Rana Sanaullah, Maryam Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar and other senior leadership of the party. The meeting was held to review situation after the arrest of party president Shehbaz Sharif and upcoming anti-government movement of recently formed PDM. “I salute to the bravery and courage of Shehbaz Sharif. I am proud of my brother who made an example of loyalty and ideological commitment,” Nawaz said. “Asim Saleem Bajwa should have been arrested but they arrested Shehbaz Sharif instead,” he added.

Nawaz Sharif said that he refused to live in his own country like a slave and that he will make sure that he lives with dignity and pride of a free Pakistani because he has decided to stand up against the forces of subjugation. “All the political victimization has only boosted the spirit of PML-N and it has proven as an impetus to invigorate the struggle even more,” he said. “I am proud of the fact that my companions are braving the extremely challenging times. There is no precedence in the history of the country the way our children have been treated by ithis government,” he added.

He said PML-N will struggle harder and overcome every difficulty to rescue the nation. He said the time isn’t far when those responsible for the deplorable condition of the people of Pakistan will be held accountable and answerable. He said he has made up his mind that he will not live a life marred by humiliation. “Once the nation decides to stand up against injustices, oppression and subjugation, they will be able to dethrone the selected system and bring true change in their lives and their country,” he maintained.

Nawaz said the ‘selected and imposed prime minister is incapable, incompetent and a mindless maniac’. He said those who imposed him must be repenting, but they are the ones who have to be held accountable. He said the Pakistan Democratic Alliance agrees that Imran is a culprit but even bigger culprits are those who imposed him on this country, for which they are answerable to the nation.

Nawaz pledged that he will be available to serve the party every day, in any role and at any time. He said he wants the party to pitch ideas to formulate the strategy for the achievement of their goals.

Nawaz said the entire country knows what former DG ISI Zaheer-ul-Islam did. He said Zaheer-ul-Islam sent a message at midnight to him that if he wouldn’t resign, martial law would be imposed in Pakistan. “But, I refused to resign at all costs,” he added.

He said General Qamar Javed Bajwa told Maualana Ghafoor Haideri to step aside because the military is proceeding against Nawaz Sharif. “The army never rebutted Maulana Haideri’s statement which makes everything very clear,” he said, and also recalled the statements of Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui at a bar meeting but no action was taken.