Nawaz Sharif ponders reasons behind his ‘repeated ouster’

Lahore: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Supremo and former three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed concerns over setbacks faced by Pakistan during his 2013-17 tenure.

Nawaz Sharif questioned the rationale behind handing the country to what he referred to as an amateur, alluding to his conviction in the Panama Papers cases and the controversial 2018 elections.

The PML-N Supremo expressed these words while addressing a parliamentary board of his party at the party office in Model Town, Lahore, on Saturday.

The former prime minister reflected on the repeated removals from office and pondered the reasons behind them. He revisited the events of 1999 and questioned whether his ousting was linked to the Kargil conflict, asserting that time had vindicated the decisions made by his government at the time.

سمجھ نہیں آتی کہ ایک اناڑی کے ہاتھ میں اس ملک کی باگ ڈور کیسے تھما دی جاتی ہے ایک اچھے بھلے لوگوں سے اختیار لیکر آپ حکومت ایک اناڑی کے ہاتھ میں دے دیں تو ملک تباہی کے دہانے ہی پہنچے گا۔قائد مسلم لیگ (ن) محمد نواز شریف pic.twitter.com/5lbmzFMIrL

— PMLN (@pmln_org) December 9, 2023

Highlighting his government's achievements, Nawaz Sharif mentioned successful visits by Indian Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi during his previous terms. Emphasizing regional connectivity and peace, he stressed the importance of resolving issues with neighboring countries.

Discussing the 2017 episode, Nawaz Sharif claimed it was designed to undermine the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), citing Chinese President Xi Jinping's personal assurance that the CPEC was a gift to Pakistan. He credited the PDM's intervention for preventing a default in 2022, leading to the removal of the PTI government through a no-confidence motion and the subsequent Shehbaz Sharif-led coalition.

Nawaz Sharif attributed the rise in electricity tariffs to the PTI and linked the unprecedented inflation in the country to the devaluation of the rupee.

Advocating for a strong currency and low interest rates, he assured PML-N leaders and candidates that they would emerge victorious in the upcoming general elections on February 8, expressing his ambition for a fourth term, which seemed implausible until recently.

Recalling the 2018 elections, Nawaz Sharif asserted that the prevailing opinion in 2017 indicated PML-N's victory based on performance. However, he alleged that manipulations had occurred since 2017 to achieve predetermined results in 2018.