Vows to put country on right path
Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
Coming hard over judiciary, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday asked to stop double standard in most of the cases related to PTI and coalition partners and threatened to disclose secrets if “unfair treatment” continues against the ruling alliance.
The PM said the judiciary is guilty of meting out differential treatment to different political leaders. In similar nature cases related to national assembly and provincial assembly of Punjab, the judiciary gave two different judgments.
Addressing National Assembly, the PM said that 2018’s General Elections were the worst in the country’s history. “Those polls imposed a government through the process of rigging,” he added.
“The Results Transmission System was closed at night and the counting of votes was stopped by the order of the former chief justice,” he added.
PM Shehbaz berated the PTI-led government and said it took loans of more than Rs20,000 billion in three-and-a-half years, adding that millions of people lost their jobs and became homeless during the PTI’s tenure.
The premier further said that the coalition government knew that Pakistan was on the verge of default, and for that, the government decided to save the state rather than focusing on political point-scoring. “I was offered to become the prime minister by a president in 1992; Musharraf also offered me the PM’s post, and when Nawaz Sharif offered me the premiership, I chose to serve Punjab instead to complete the mega projects,” said the premier, adding that he had many opportunities to become the prime minister in the past.
The prime minister went on to say that country cannot progress if there is no justice. “The times are tough but we will make Pakistan great by fighting this fascism,” he added. PM Shehbaz said that he will keep trying as long as he has the confidence of the party, coalition leaders, and the House. “No matter what happens, I will be the same servant of Pakistan, the same Shehbaz Sharif,” he said.
Talking about the country’s situation, he said: “I cannot sleep at night thinking why we’re behind other countries in terms of progress. Even 75 years later, we have still not decided our path.”
He went on to say that the court should make a decision while considering the truth and justice, adding that the PTI ruined Pakistan’s relations with other countries during its tenure.
“They sent a letter via WhatsApp stating that Russia will give us cheap oil, while the Russian government denied any such offer,” he said, adding that his government will buy wheat from Russia if they will provide it at low rates. “Russia offered to sell wheat a day before after we already bought 800,000 tonnes,” he added.
“I have a lot of secrets buried in my chest and they should remain secret,” said PM, but at the same time, he threatened to disclose secrets at the proper time and place if “unfair treatment” continues against the PDM alliance. “Decisions should be made on basis of facts and truth, unilateral verdicts won’t be accepted,” he added.
The premier further pointed out that the coalition government when came into power they knew that Pakistan was on the verge of default and the ruling alliance decided to save the state rather than focusing on political point-scoring. “State comes first, all other things are secondary,” said the prime minister and continued that corruption was at its peak during Imran Khan’s tenure but nobody took suo motu notice. He said that Imran Khan violated the IMF agreement and deliberately reduced fuel prices to set a trap for coming govt.
Speaking about the constitution, PM Shehbaz said that under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s leadership the document was drafted and presents Pakistan as a strong and dynamic country on the global level.
He added that the constitution will guide and strengthen Pakistan, despite the attempts of people trying to meddle with it.
The premier, during his speech, also shed light on the country’s economic deterioration, challenges faced by the government in rectifying the state of the economy and the damage caused by recent monsoon rains across Pakistan. PM Shehbaz said that the coalition was aware that the country was on the verge of default, adding that this why the government choose to stay away from political point scoring and save the state.
The PM also spoke about the damage following recent flooding across the country due to heavy rains. He said that the coalition government is aware of the destruction, and has conducted meetings with all the provincial governments.
