With approximately two weeks remaining until the upcoming polls on February 8, Nawaz Sharif, the leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), expressed his concerns on Monday, stating that it would be a challenging task to steer Pakistan back on the right path.
Nawaz’s remarks coincide with intensified election campaigns by major political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and PML-N. Party leaders are actively leading their respective campaigns to attract the 240 million-strong electorate set to choose their representatives next month.
Addressing a rally in Mansehra, where he is contesting on NA-15, Nawaz Sharif emphasized that Pakistan has lagged behind globally and asserted the need to “rebuild” the nation. Reflecting on his previous tenure as the prime minister, he highlighted achievements such as pegging the dollar at 104 against the Pakistani rupee and claiming to have “eliminated” load shedding.
In a veiled criticism aimed at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its leader Imran Khan, PML-N’s longstanding adversary, Nawaz lamented that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) voted for this “liar.” Recalling the 2013 elections, he mentioned JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman approaching him for a coalition government in KP, but he chose to respect PTI’s right to form the government based on their numerical strength.
Nawaz questioned the achievements of PTI during its 10-year rule in KP, accusing them of ruining the province. Pledging to address inflation, he assured that his government, if elected, would focus on job creation and promised to establish an airport in Mansehra along with universities and colleges in the region.
