God will never forgive 'iqama bench' even if I do: Maryam

LAHORE: Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President and Chief Organiser on Wednesday, taking a dig at the Supreme Court (SC) bench said that God will never forgive the "iqama bench" [reference to the bench's decision that disqualified Nawaz Sharif] even if she does.

PML-N leader — speaking at a party gathering in Lahore — without taking any names blamed the apex court bench decisions to disqualify Nawaz for inflation and economic turmoil.

"The five-member bench and their puppet [Imran Khan] are responsible for the fact that people today are struggling to even pay their electricity bills, she added," Maryam said.

"They [SC bench] took away people's capacity to make ends meet. Today the people are fed up with the rising inflation as they struggle to put food on the table," she added.

The five-member bench and their puppet [Imran Khan] are responsible for the fact that people today are struggling to even pay their electricity bills, she added.

The PML-N senior vice president also said that those who conspired against Nawaz are not even able to face the public.

Comparing Pakistan's current economic turmoil with that of PML-N's Nawaz-led government, Maryam accentuated that during his father's four-year tenure, the US dollar remained under the Rs100 mark.

"When Nawaz Sharif took charge of the government [from PPP] in 2013, the country faced extensive load-shedding of up to 20 hours with the country's growth rate worryingly low at 1 per cent."

"In three years of Nawaz Sharif's tenure, there was 'zero load-shedding and the country's growth rate increased up to 6.1 per cent," she added.

The PML-N leader also accentuated that during that time the country benefitted from ample foreign investment opportunities and that Pakistan Stock Exchange (during Nawaz's tenure) crossed the 55,000 points mark.

The conspirators targeted Pakistan's development and growth when they conspired to disqualify Nawaz, Maryam further said.

The country has been derailed ever since Nawaz's disqualification over "iqama", she added.

Accentuating his father's tumultuous political career, Maryam said that despite the fact that thrice the people of Pakistan chose Nawaz Sharif as their leader has served as the country's leader for a cumulative period of nine years, he [Nawaz Sharif] was repeatedly ousted every time under superficial circumstances.

She also reiterated and confirmed the PML-N supremo's homecoming on October 21 next month.

Expressing her views on her own political journey, the scion of the Sharif family's political dynasty said that she began assisting the PML-N supremo around 15 years ago and that seeing her determination and passion, her father allowed her to join politics.

Sharing her experience with regard to legal challenges and incarceration, the PML-N chief organiser said that she faced around 200 appearances before the court and had spent five months in a death cell.

"My father [Nawaz Sharif] had tears in his eyes when I was arrested in front of him from Koth Lakhpat jail, Maryam said, adding, "I went to Adiala jail with my mother on her deathbed."

Taking a jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Maryam said during her incarceration she never demanded food cooked in desi ghee. "Jail officials asked me to file an application for B-class facilities but I declined."

Earlier this week, the party's senior vice president had said that those elements who conspired to remove Nawaz Sharif from politics have vanished themselves.

Addressing a consulative meeting in Peshawar on September 15, Maryam said that her father faced political victimisation with bravery and steadfastness, and would address all challenges after coming into power.

Nawaz Sharif was punished for saving people from price hikes and load shedding [...] the country was plunged into a price hike after the removal of Nawaz government through a conspiracy and the people of Pakistan were deprived of development, she said.

Nawaz Sharif's October 21 homecoming

Last week, former prime minister and PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that his brother and party supremo Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan on October 21 next month.

The decision to return around mid-October was taken after Shehbaz held two meetings with the PML-N supremo in the United Kingdom’s capital city, after his arrival in London on August 20 following handing over the reins of the government to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar.

The three-time premier reached London on November 19, 2019, when he fell critically ill in prison.

It was alleged by the family that the Imran Khan-led government and his “backers” had tried to poison Nawaz. He was treated at the Harley Street Clinic and London Bridge Hospital for four months.

Nawaz had been diagnosed with an immune system disorder and doctors in Pakistan recommended that he should go abroad for treatment as his condition continued to deteriorate despite the best possible care in the country.