Feb 8 elections to decide Pakistan’s fate, says Shehbaz Sharif

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday asserted that the ‘all-important’ Feb 8 general elections would decide the fate of Pakistan, urging voters to draw the ‘map of future’ after examining the past, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the former prime minister said that the people of Pakistan would exercise their right to vote on Feb 8 – the day which according to him – would decide the country’s fate.

Shehbaz Sharif pointed out that the PML-N has launched its election campaign, which will be carried out by party’s top leadership, including Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz.

He also regretted the ouster of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif – which according to him – halted the country’s growth. “The country was on the path of prosperity with Nawaz Sharif’s commitment,” he said, adding that everyone knows what happened in 2017.

The former premier also pointed out the “achievements” of PMLN-led government, which also included end to loadshedding and developing of agriculture sector and

Terming former chief justice Saqib Nisar ‘a pawn’, Shehbaz regretted that the former was used to overthrow Nawaz Sharif-led government – which halted the country’s progress. “The country would have reached many milestones if Nawaz Sharif wasn’t ousted,” he added.

“A conspiracy was hatched in the country, which later witnessed record-breaking inflation, and the agreement with IMF [International Monetary Fund] was jeopardised,” he pointed out.

Furthermore, he said, the country’s diplomatic relations were badly damaged while the Pakistanis society was “poisoned and divided”. He said that the healing of these divisions would take time. “These divisions will not be overcome in a year or two; we will unite the nation by ending hatred”.

The PML-N president reiterated that the 16-month government of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) saved the country from bankruptcy and brought economic stability. “If asked in the court of Allah, I would say that Pakistan was saved from bankruptcy.”

Shehbaz Sharif maintained that the survival of the state was the priority and not politics or remaining in power, expressing no regret in that outcome.

The former premier maintained that the PML-N was not responsible for PTI losing its electoral symbol of ‘bat’. He added that neither Nawaz nor he snatched the party’s electoral symbol.

“PTI did not conduct inter-party elections and the entire country is witness to the apex court proceedings. They should have argued in court. PML-N had lost its electoral symbol of ‘lion’, and if the ‘bat’ was in play today, then we would have had competition.”