LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday demanded accountability of all those who, according to him, brought PTI founder Imran Khan to power through the 2018 elections, calling them “equally responsible.”
Addressing a special meeting of newly elected party lawmakers in Lahore alongside Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister said that the PTI founder is not the only culprit — those who brought him are also guilty.
“I believe Imran Khan is not the only culprit. Those who brought him to power are even bigger culprits. They must also be held fully accountable,” he said.
Nawaz Sharif said that over the past one and a half years, the government had saved the country from default and put it back on the path to progress. “Pakistan has now taken off,” he remarked, adding that lies, abusive politics, and “a culture of chaos” had been defeated.
The PML-N president said inflation had begun to decline due to government measures.
“During our previous tenure, inflation was 3 percent. The previous PTI government brought only destruction and spread indecency. The country was pushed to the brink of default. However, both the present federal and Punjab governments worked day and night, and in a year and a half, we set new records in public service,” he said, praising Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for their performance.
Nawaz Sharif added that Pakistan was unable to make several decisions independently. However, he claimed that the current government had stabilized the economy and helped Pakistan avoid default.
“The people have voted for us based on performance,” he said.
The PML-N leader further stated that in 2017, the country was progressing rapidly and would have held a strong position internationally had that momentum continued.