Nawaz not ‘ladla’, he’s still getting justice at snail’s pace: Maryam

LALAMUSA: PMLN Chief Organiser and Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz Saturday rejected the claims of political opponents that Nawaz Sharif was a ‘ladla’ of the establishment for the upcoming elections, saying he was still appearing in courts to get justice in false cases registered against him.

Addressing the PMLN youth convention in Jalalpur Jattan, she said meting out injustice to anyone was easy in this country but ending it was very difficult. She said her father was still getting justice at a snail’s pace, but it was still being alleged that he was being given favours.

She said Nawaz Sharif was the leader whose adversaries had declared end of his political career, but now he stands resurrected in the pages of history. She said those who conspired against him must have found themselves transfixed before their TV screens on October 21, witnessing the remarkable return of Nawaz Sharif to his homeland.

Maryam said Pakistanis embraced Nawaz Sharif on his return to the country because of his transformative contributions to the nation, including construction of motorways, power plants, industries, an extensive road network, the Orange Line train, airports, ports and the ambitious CPEC [China-Pakistan Economic Corridor]. They recognised that their destiny is intricately tied to Mian Nawaz Sharif, she added.

Maryam said Nawaz Sharif’s political journey was still far from over. During the past 22 years, Nawaz Sharif weathered the rigors of imprisonment and endured 11 years in exile. He was kept in almost all jails of the country, she said and added that now it was up to people to elect him once again, as they had always sided with Nawaz Sharif. Maryam said Nawaz was sent to jail for not getting salary from his son, and his conviction showed disparities in the judicial system of the country.

The PMLN senior vice president said Nawaz Sharif was not penalised under the law; rather, a black law dictionary was invoked. Seven years later, the absence of justice remains a glaring stain, she regretted and added that despite undertaking public welfare projects worth billions and trillions, not a single rupee corruption against him was proven. She said millions of dollars were expended in futile attempts to produce evidence against him, but all in vain.

Maryam said Nawaz Sharif, a leader twice elected chief minister and thrice elected prime minister by people, did not break the faith of people ever. Without naming Imran Khan, she said the one who labelled him [Nawaz Sharif] a thief, was now incarcerated, reaping the consequences of his actions. Lies, it appears, have a finite lifespan, she added. The accuser is himself now facing historic theft charges, as he misappropriated 190 million pounds of the hard-earned money of Pakistani people. That money went into his pocket, she alleged.

Maryam said he [Imran] showed a closed envelope to the cabinet and misguided them. From those 190 million pounds, he bought lands in the name of Al-Qadir Trust, she alleged adding that the trustees of Al-Qadir Trust were two people: one was ‘Fitna’ [Imran Khan] and the other was his wife ‘Pinky Peerni’.

To avoid punishment, this person carried out the May 9 attacks and set fire to important buildings of Pakistan, Maryam alleged.

She said his [Imran’s] stint as prime minister was marred by a historic scandal. And now he is clamouring for special privileges, exercise machines and chicken, etc., in jail. He should get exercise machines and chicken, but then every prisoner in Pakistan should get that facility.