Nawaz Sharif vows to continue his fight for sanctity of people’s vote

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif vowed to continue his fight for the sanctity of the people’s vote. “First it was GT Road and then NA-120 by-election which proved the nation’s verdict,” he said. “The final decision of the people in my favour will emerge in the 2018 polls” he stated this while addressing a press conference here on Tuesday.

Stressing that he had left the country “in an emergency” due to his wife’s ailment the details of which, he said, were widely known. Nawaz said his inner circle knew all along that he would return and that the arrangements in this regard were already in place.

Former Prime Minister Nawaz said that repeated violations of the nation’s mandate and constitution have earlier resulted in the division of the country in 1971. “Our history is full of such decisions whose very mentions are shameful,” he said. “The time has come that we come up with solutions to these 70-year-old tactics. He said that democracy and Constitution should be allowed to prevail.

“I have ignored all threats,” he claimed. “In September ten years ago on the same PIA flight, PK 786 when I returned to Pakistan, I was not allowed to leave the Islamabad airport,” he recalled.

No corruption, bribery or other sort of allegation could be proven against me, he said, adding that the iaqma ‘farce’ was created to make a basis for my disqualification. “They should have told the nation that because we couldn’t find anything in Panama case, we made iqama the basis for disqualification,” he said.

Nawaz further said he believed in the implementation of rule of law but cannot accept the Supreme Court’s July 28 decision that disqualified him for life. He said he has told Talal Chaudhry to look into the matter of the attack on a reporter. He thanked the nation for praying for his wife.

“They made an issue out of the salary I did not take from my son,” he said. “They said it was my asset. What about the peace and assets that I have created in Karachi, Balochistan and the entire country in the form of CPEC? My nation is aware of the assets that I have created for them.” “Court suspiciously formed a joint investigation team and announced a verdict. It court then ordered the National Accountability Bureau to break its regulations and file reference against me,” Nawaz told reporters.

Claiming that charges of alleged corruption were not proved against him in the court of law, the ex-premier said he stood by the law but was still disqualified. “Such decisions are implemented but no one accepts them. I was disqualified on a false pretext of iqama [work permit] because they could not prove charges relating to the Panama Papers,” he said.

“When legal experts themselves did not accept the decision, what could I do? These decisions were passed, punishments were given — but they were not accepted.” “The decision on my first appeal to the verdict was given by the thousands who came out to support the GT Road rally,” he said. “Then the second appeal was responded to by the people of NA-120.”

“The whole country is being punished the people and the generations to come. They have made a mockery of a progressive Pakistan on the track of democracy. I appeal that this country be allowed to progress in line with the Constitution.

If the Constitution gives the people the right to govern, let them realise that right.” “Let the decision of qualification and disqualification rest with the people do not take that right from them. Our history is full of bad decisions that are painful to recall. The time has come to cure this 70-year cancer.” “I am the victim of a case based on lies, and I am bearing the punishments for it” he said.