AMJAD ALI SHAH
PESHAWAR: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif has said that his party is coming to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to form government ridding people of the Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s rule.
Addressing a largely-attended public rally in stronghold of the PTI near Northern Bypass, here on Sunday, Nawaz asked Imran Khan and his party government to tell nation what they have done, so far?.
At the public gathering, a PTI MPA from Swabi, Babar Khan Saleem, announced joining the PML-N. He was elected from the PK-31 constituency.
Nawaz asked PTI chairman where is his much-trumpeted new Pakistan, saying that people could not see that new Pakistan anywhere. He said PMLN would form government in KP province routing Imran’s party and sort out the issues of people of this province, as well. He promised to make KP province prosper.
Former prime minister reiterated that people’s huge participation in his public meeting was yet another proof that they rejected the apex court’s verdict regarding his disqualification.
He said the PTI government failed to fulfill many of its promises. Without naming Imran, he said, the ‘man’ lies ‘day and night’ but he still remains ‘sadiq’ [truthful] and ‘ameen’ [trustworthy].
He said PTI government failed to end power load-shedding. He said that the KP province did not even have a forensic laboratory. He said cases such as Asma rape and murder case would not have been dealt the way they were. He said the KP government had got assistance from the Punjab Forensic Laboratory to trace the criminal through DNA testing. He promised the gathering that those without houses would be provided housing schemes by the government, and that less-privileged people would be given health cards for free medical treatment.
“We will come to your doorsteps and resolve all your problems,” Nawaz asserted, appealing to people to vote for PML-N. “Give us so many votes that the [Panamagate] verdict against me is nullified and a new age of progress can begin in the country,” he appealed.
Although the PML-N is believed to be popular in Hindko-speaking Hazara division, its political position is not that strong in the Pakhtun-dominated areas, including Peshawar, due to its failure to execute mega development schemes.
Despite these concerns, the PML-N drew a large crowd in Peshawar that was reverberated with the slogans of: “Go! Imran, go.”
Nawaz Sharif claimed that he was working day and night for progress of Pakistan at the time when the top court disqualified him in corruption probe. He said that the people of Peshawar have written history Sunday by evincing their love for him.
Maryam began her speech offering condolences for the Pakistan Army personnel martyred in a suicide attack in Swat on Saturday. In her maiden speech at a public meeting in Peshawar, Maryam said Peshawar confirmed that Nawaz Sharif is sadiq and amin.”
She said Imran Khan criticised Sindh and Punjab police forces but she would not condemn KP police because that too is force that belongs to entire Pakistani nation. She said Imran Khan may have been incompetent, but the KP police is not.
She asked PTI where their much-orchestrated ‘change’ has gone. She said Nawaz would roar (like a tiger) in the elections promise.
Earlier, Nawaz chaired an informal meeting with PML-N provincial assembly members at the residence of PML-N KP chapter’s chief, Amir Muqam.
Talking to the media, Nawaz’s aide Senator Asif Kirmani said they would turn the province into a stronghold of the PML-N.
Foolproof security arrangements were made through deployment of over 12,000 police personnel who surrounded the venue.
Nawaz’s son-in-law, MNA Captain Safdar Awan (retd.), Minister of State for Interior Affairs, Talal Chaudhry, Minister of State for Privatisation, Daniyal Aziz, Deputy Speaker National Assembly Murtaza Javed Abbasi, PML-N KP president, and Advisor to Prime Minister, Engr Amir Muqam, Governor KP Engr Iqbal Zafar Jhagra and others were also present.
