Nawaz Sharif warns of ‘tough years’ ahead, says Shehbaz ‘best choice’ for premiership

ISLAMABAD: PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday warned the upcoming government will need to make “difficult decisions” in next two years, saying that his younger brother Shehbaz is the best choice for the premiership, especially in the current circumstances Pakistan is in, ARY News reported.  

Addressing the party’s parliamentary session in Islamabad, the three-time prime minister lauded Shehbaz Sharif’s performance as the prime minister during the tenure of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

“The way he [Shehbaz] stopped the country from defaulting is unprecedented,” Nawaz Sharif said, hoping that Pakistan would emerge out of the current crises in the next one or two years.

“Pakistan is badly wounded at this time,” he said, noting that the upcoming government will have to make difficult decisions in the next two years.

He pointed out that inflation was the ‘biggest problems’ in such difficult circumstances.  “We have to give ease to the public, we have to fix the prices of electricity and gas, we have to make Pakistan stand on its feet,” he stressed.

“In the current circumstances, Shehbaz Sharif is the best choice,” he said while officially declaring him the candidate for the prime minister’s slot.

The former premier further said that party leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq will contest the election for the National Assembly speaker.

Nawaz Sharif emphasised that all political parties should work on a special agenda to take country out of crisis. “Do your own politics, opposition is also a part of politics, but don’t endanger Pakistan and the system,” he highlighted.

He pointed out that despite dharnas by the PTI during his previous tenure, the PML-N led federal government continued to work for the country and fulfilled all its commitments to the public.

The PML-N supremo also castigated the cases registered against him and his subsequent ouster. “I believe that whoever did that, they wronged Pakistan,” he said, adding that ultimately it was the country that suffered.

Shehbaz laments President Alvi for ‘violating the Constitution’

Meanwhile, Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N nominee for prime minister, castigated President Dr Arif Alvi for ‘violating the Constitution’ by not summoning the National Assembly (NA) session.

Addressing party’s parliamentary meeting, the former prime minister emphasised that they will need to make a lot of sacrifices to bring the country out of crises.

He also lambasted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for calling the February 8 general elections ‘rigged’, saying that if that’s the case, how PTI win polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

He further said that PML-N has a strength of 104 members in the National Assembly, also thanking the independents who recently joined his party.

Shehbaz Sharif recalled the difficulties faced by the party in the past few years. He highlighted the PML-N’s achievements during Nawaz’s tenure citing the multiple motorway projects and the end to loadshedding in the country.