PM Imran Khan casts doubts over Nawaz Sharif's illness

MIANWALI: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday expressed his doubts about the illness of former premier Nawaz Sharif in his speech, delivered after the inaugural ceremony of a mother and child hospital in Mianwali, his political constituency.

In a reference to Pakistan Muslim League-N supremo’s treatment abroad, he said the way Nawaz Sharif climbed the aircraft’s stairs made his illness appear dubious. He said after seeing him (Nawaz) (on TV screens), he placed the doctors’ reports before him again, which showed that the patient had been facing heart problems, kidney problems, high sugar, less platelets count, and many other complications. And if he was not allowed a visit abroad for treatment, he may pass away at any moment. But after seeing him climbing up the plane’s stairs, I said to myself: ‘God is great’, he added.

Imran said sarcastically that it should be investigated whether the sight of plane improved Nawaz Sharif’s health condition or the London environment.

Imran Khan thanked Allah Almighty that Pak Rupee had devalued only 35 per cent against dollar, and reached Rs155, though it might have reached Rs250 or Rs300 [due to economic situation of the country].

It was the rupee devaluation that opened the floodgates for inflation, the premier said. “We didn’t add to inflation,” he stressed, holding the former regimes of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) responsible for it.

The PM said: “I am proud of my economic team. During the last four months, our CAD [current account deficit] came to an end. As a result, the rupee’s value increased by 4,” he added.

He said the economy was moving in the right direction now, and as a result the confidence of foreign investors was restoring in the local economy. Businesses are returning to the country and the Pakistan stock market is picking up, he claimed.

The PM also criticised former finance minister Ishaq Dar and Nawaz's son, Hasan Nawaz. "Hasan Nawaz lives in a house worth Rs8 billion in London," he said and added that Mayfair flats worth billions of rupees were owned by Maryam Nawaz, adding that Hussain Nawaz also owned property of billions of rupees. "Where did that money come from?" He said Dar's father owned a bicycle shop, but his son had become a billionaire. He said whatever document they presented in the courts proved fake because they took money abroad after stealing it from Pakistan.

"Musharraf gave the Sharifs an NRO," he said. "I am not here to save my seat. If I give these people an NRO, the country will have no future." However, the premier said his objective was not to "save his seat" but to bring about a real change in the country. He said earlier a real change could not take place because every ruler made compromises with the mafias, adding that when General Musharraf started accountability process, he was with him. But when Musharraf was told that all corrupt would unite against him and pose a threat to his seat, he stopped the process and sent the Sharif family abroad after giving them an NRO. He said Pervez Musharraf also struck an NRO with Asif Ali Zardari and allowed him to come back in country to save hic chair.

He said the change would come when he would defeat the mafias. He said the youth should remember that if the mafias would exist, there was no future of country. He said mafias were those people whose wealth and money was stashed abroad. He vowed to fight all ‘dacoits’ who looted the national wealth.

The premier said that in the presence of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Israel need not hatching any conspiracy against Pakistan. He said unemployed politicians had come to Islamabad and they were standing on a container. The ‘fake Mandela’ Shahbaz Sharif and ‘Pani Aata hay’ Bilawal also joined the Maulana on the container for fear of accountability. “They were worried because I receive information from the FIA and these people knew that whatever they have done with the country, they will be caught somewhere in future and we (PTI government) will retrieve money from them. Due to this, they all got united,” he added.

Premier Imran said when he was called to the court regarding his property investigation, he gave 60 documents in 10 months.

The premier also touched upon the quality of healthcare in the region. He recalled that when he had started his politics 23 years ago, he realised that there were no doctors or hospitals in Mianwali. "I will solve issues relating to healthcare in Mianwali," he said. "Then we will solve the problem of water and education."

Prime Minister Imran Khan said the local governments system envisaged by the PTI government for Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa would empower people at grassroots level. He said the local governments elections would be held in the next few months. He said under this system, finance commissions would be established in the provinces, which would distribute finances among districts.

Imran Khan said non-party local governments elections would be held in villages, which would empower locals to monitor the health and education facilities. Direct elections would be held in cities where Nazims would be elected and made responsible for solving problems of people.

The PM said his government inherited historic financial debt worth $19.5 billion. Exports were less than imports which resulted in the rupee devaluation, he added.

In his remarks on the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said development of the backward areas was top priority of the government. He said Mother and Child hospitals will also be established in other districts of the province.

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid, Commerce Adviser Abdur Razak Dawood and provincial cabinet members accompanied the prime minister.

Earlier, accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, the prime minister broke ground for a mother and child hospital, bulk water supply scheme for Khattak belt and Isa Khel, restoration and widening of urban and rural roads in Mianwali, dualisation of Sargodha-Mianwali Road Phase-I, restoration of water supply scheme in Mianwali and upgradation of existing and construction of new schools in Mianwali.

The prime minister also inaugurated Water Sports and Tourism Club in Mianwali as a full-fledged tourist resort with 21 water boats and 30 rooms for accommodation.