ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reiterated his call for holding accountable those responsible for his removal from power in 2017, attributing Pakistan’s perceived “destruction” to them.
Speaking at a PML-N parliamentary board meeting in Lahore, alongside party leaders including President Shehbaz Sharif and Vice President Maryam Nawaz, Sharif emphasized the need to address the corruption cases against him and his family, branding them as “bogus.”
Referring to the corruption charges stemming from the Panama Papers revelations during his tenure as prime minister, Sharif highlighted his disqualification for not declaring a salary and subsequent sentencing in Avenfield and Al-Aziza references in 2018. Despite the recent overturning of his Avenfield conviction by the Islamabad High Court, Sharif called for accountability of those involved in alleged victimization of PML-N leaders.
Having returned from a four-year self-imposed exile in London in October, Sharif clarified that his return was not solely to establish a government but also to pursue action against corruption and political victimization. He cited a leaked audio conversation involving former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, where Nisar allegedly suggested keeping PML-N leaders, including Sharif, behind bars to pave the way for Imran Khan’s success in the 2018 general elections.
While refraining from naming individuals, Sharif criticized former PTI chief Imran Khan and referred to the 190 million pounds NAB reference against PTI leaders as the “biggest scam” in the country’s history. Sharif accused them of lacking understanding of the principles of a welfare state, referencing Imran Khan’s slogan to transform Pakistan into a Madina-like state. He labeled the 190 million pounds case as a significant scandal, asserting its unparalleled magnitude in the nation’s history.
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