PML-N slams ‘Naya Pakistan’, says some elements don’t want ‘powerful PM’ in country

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) on Saturday rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ‘Naya Pakistan’ and claimed that “some elements do not wish to have a powerful prime minister” in the country.

Addressing party workers in Lahore, Khawaja Saad Rafique said that some elements prefer not to have a powerful prime minister in Pakistan, even when he came with a two-third majority.

Read more: Pakistan must be liberated from PTI government says Saad Rafique

Allegations were levelled against every prime minister in Pakistan, said Rafique adding that even Shaheed-e-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan and sister of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Fatima Jinnah, were not spared from allegations.

“We can no more remain silent fearing martial law in the country,” said the PML-N leader.

Rafique said that among other things party supremo Nawaz Sharif was punished for making Pakistan a nuclear power.

“The entire world has set its eyes on Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Today, Pakistan is better and more powerful because of the nuclear technology,” he said.

“All the people mentioned in Panama Leaks papers were spared, and the verdict was announced against Nawaz Sharif only.”

“Is this the way to run Pakistan?” Rafique questioned.

The PML-N leader also suggested Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government to bring stability in the country.

“When you come to power, you should run the country in accordance with the constitution. You should compete on the basis of performance, not on the basis of grudges,” he said.

Read more: Nawaz’s deportation from UK being presented as political decision to return: Gill

‘PML-N responsible to get Pakistan out of crisis’

Another senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah did not make Pakistan by climbing on a cannon or a tank. He built Pakistan with the power of the vote.

According to Iqbal, the country was currently in crisis and the PML-N had a huge responsibility to get it out of it by bringing “discipline in our ranks.”

New elections inevitable for Pakistan: Hamza 

Addressing the ceremony, Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz said that after gas shortages, the country would soon face water shortages. Taking a dig at the PM, he said that “the power of the vote would lift him from his Bani Gala residence and throw him into the sea.”

He said that PM Imran Khan always blamed cartels for creating wheat, sugar and liquefied natural gas (LNG) crises in the country.

“Imran Niazi, the cartel grows under PTI’s umbrella. You are the biggest cartel,” said the PML-N leader.

Hamza claimed that Imran Khan was a “fake prime minister, a vote thief and a liar.”

Read more: Shahbaz Gill responds to PML-N’s diatribe

Hamza Shahbaz said “fair and transparent elections” were the solution to the problems Pakistan was facing.

“Democracy cannot move forward unless the parliament exercise its powers.”