Nawaz Sharif castigates PTI founder’s ‘double standards’

ISLAMABAD: PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Saturday castigated PTI founder Imran Khan for ‘backstabbing’ him by assuring cooperation and then staging 2014 sit-in at the capital’s Constitution Avenue against the government, ARY News reported.

On Aug 31, 2014, workers of the PTI and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek had marched towards the Parliament House and the Prime Minister House, clashing with police deployed on the Constitution Avenue.

The former prime minister made these while addressing the PML-N’s Central Working Committee (CWC), which earlier accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from the party’s presidency and nominated him as acting president.

Addressing the participants, Nawaz Sharif lamented “injustices” meted out to him during his previous stint in power, demanding accountability of the judges and all those who have “damaged” Pakistan.

He pointed out that the first thing he did upon assuming power in 2013 was visit PTI founder Imran Khan in Banigala to agree on working together for the country’s sake.

The PML-N supremo claimed that Imran Khan promised to work together and demanded the built the road to Banigala – which according to Nawaz was fulfilled within 15 days.

He said Imran subsequently went to London, along with Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Tahir-ul-Qadri, and former DG ISI Lt Gen retired Zaheerul Islam, and “hatched a conspiracy”, after which protests were launched in the country upon the PTI founder’s return.

According to Nawaz, he was left befuddled by the development and said he should have been informed and talked about the matter or whatever the PTI’s reservations were. “I visit you and you back stabbed me by assuring cooperation and then you begin protests in D-Chowk?”

Furthermore, Nawaz Sharif said his cabinet members had called for strict action against the protests but he forbade them. Despite this, Nawaz said his government managed to secure the historic China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.

The former premier said that those who were involved in hatching conspiracies against him were “being exposed”, calling for accountability of judges “who destroyed and ruined Pakistan”. “Three people sit down and disqualify a prime minister representing 250 million people for life,” he said.

He further said that judges could not remove prime ministers or presidents in any other country of the world but here he was removed on a “small matter of not taking salary from my son”.

“I have an audio of former chief justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar wherein he said Nawaz Sharif had to be removed and Imran Khan has to be brought.”

On Monday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif resigned as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president.

Following Shehbaz’s resignation, PML-N has decided to convene a meeting of the party’s general council on May 28 in Lahore to elect new president.

Rana Sanaullah in a recent presser said that the PML-N Punjab chapter has requested Nawaz Sharif to resume the party presidency, citing his leadership as crucial for the party’s success.

The former prime minister was disqualified from holding any public position after being convicted in 2018.

However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) acquitted him in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia references on November 29 and December 12 last year respectively. After his acquittal, the former PM contested General Elections 2024 and returned elected from NA-130 Lahore.