Difficulties big or small: Nawaz will not buckle under, says Maryam

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz on Sunday said Nawaz Sharif will not step back come hell or high water and take conspiracies, threats and intimidation in  his stride.

Addressing the party's social media convention at the Fowara Chowk in the busy Raja Bazaar, she said no matter how small or big the hurdles and difficulties were, Nawaz would overcome them all with the help and support of the masses.

Throwing a barb at Imran, she said a person who could not take his own decisions did not deserve to be called a leader. Blaming the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for an incident in which a shoe was hurled at Nawaz Sharif, Maryam said he will not be able to save himself by issuing a condemnation.

She said the incident had only increased Nawaz Sharif’s popularity, which was evident by the size of the convention. Minister of State for Information Maryam Aurangzeb, Capt (retd) Muhammad Safdar, Pervaiz Rashid, Malik Ibrar, Hanif Abbasi, Sardar Naseem, Shakeel Awan, Raja Hanif Advocate and others were also present. “Nawaz Sharif's enemies are cowards. Only those who have been defeated resort to such covert tactics,” she said.

She termed the shoe-throwing incident an ambush. She blamed Imran Khan for promoting what she called a culture of abusive language. “Do you think just one condemnation is enough? You taught an abusive language to the nation. You talked about dragging rulers by their neck.

NNI adds: Maryam said the PML-N leadership will confront all challenges and bad incidents like the Lahore incident (show-throwing at Nawaz) and continue to serve the masses. She said the party workers were upset after the Lahore incident but it could not discourage them from forging ahead.

She said Holy Prophet (SAW) faced scores of difficulties, but he always preached Islam with affection for the salvation of entire humanity. She said the passion of the residents of Rawalpindi was matchless. She said the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) could not find any wrongdoing in cases against her father.

“Nothing has emerged against Nawaz Sharif during the six-month trial in the Accountability Court. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) will not be able to find anything in the extended period of two months,” she continued.

She said Nawaz Sharif was still facing courts though he had already been sentenced and disqualified as prime minister. Terming the PTI chief a ‘Ladla’, Maryam said he had won the National Assembly election from Rawalpindi in 2013 but paid no visit even to thank his voters.

Maryam said the PML-N politics was to serve the people. “Record development projects have been completed during the five years, including motorways, Metro Bus, Orange Train, hospitals, colleges, universities, and power plants, but the ‘Ladla’ staged sit-ins and continues to blame the PML-N leadership,” she said.

She said Imran Khan was declared innocent though he could not submit his money trail for purchasing his Bani Gala residence and it was also proved that he was the owner of an offshore company. “Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for not taking salary from his son. He is being tried for the fifth time, but corruption of not even a single penny has been proved against him,” she said.

Maryam said the PML-N popularity graph was rising with each passing day. During last two weeks, thousands of youngsters from Rawalpindi have joined the PML-N social media network, she added.

She praised the PML-N members of assemblies and senators for standing with Nawaz Sharif. “After his disqualification, Nawaz has emerged stronger which is evident from the party’s unity. None of the party members has cheated the leadership,” she added.

The opponents, she said, had made all-out efforts to knock the PML-N down but they failed. “The people will once again vote for the PML-N in the next general election,” she added. She urged the people to support Nawaz Sharif’s movement for the sanctity of vote and swift justice.

Referring to the warm welcome by an over-enthusiastic crowd, she said it was the verdict of the people of Rawalpindi, showing their support for Nawaz Sharif. In a daring move, before addressing the participants, Maryam asked the local leaders to remove the bullet-proof glass.

The PML-N local leaders, including city mayor Sardar Naseem, Hanif Abbasi, Shakil Awan, Raja Muhammad Hanif, Ziaullah Shah, Haji Pervez and several others, advised her against removing the bullet-proof glass but she did not agree.

She also removed the security barricades at Raja Bazaar and directed the security guards to turn back. There was no bullet-proof screen on the stage but it was placed as a safety measure after a shoe was hurled at Nawaz Sharif at Jamia Naeemia in Lahore.

Some of participants also brought scales. During her speech, Maryam asked a participant to bring the scale on the stage. Over 10,000 chairs were arranged for the participants of the convention guarded by 2,000 cops.