‘Nawaz can return today if justice, security guaranteed’

ISLAMABAD: PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday lambasted the government for leasing out public assets in a bid to generate loans to tide over the budget deficit, wondering if this is progress which the government is touting.

While talking to the media after appearing in the Islamabad High Court (IHC), she criticised the government’s move to generate loans by leasing out public assets. She said nothing was mortgaged during our tenure in order to generate loans. “What kind of development is being made by mortgaging public properties,” she wondered. She lamented that the government has snatched bread from the mouth of the poor.

Maryam said that only the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif would lead the country. On question regarding when Nawaz was coming back to Pakistan, she retorted to journalist “if you give guarantee that Nawaz’s life will not be in danger then I will bring him back this evening.”

On Prime Minister Imran Khan’s remarks about women’s dressing, she despised the idea of linking woman’s rape with her dress. “It depicts PM Khan’s mentality,” she said, adding that PM’s statement would encourage the rapists. She asked if all the rape incidents committed with young (underage) girls were result of their being dressed up immodestly. The PML-N vice president asked if Zainab and the woman who was raped on Lahore-Sialkot Motorway were wearing inappropriate dresses. She remarked that the PM statement was reflective of his criminal thinking.

Maryam demanded an investigation into the death of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief and former senator Usman Kakar, saying if suspicions had risen on his death then an enquiry must be launched. Maryam said if some parliamentarians had raised their doubts over the death of Mr Kakar, then the cause of his death needed to be investigated.

She reminisced her meeting with the late PkMAP chief during PDM rallies and said that Mr Kakar was a very seasoned politician. “If Mr Kakar was killed to suppress the voice, then the voice will not be suppressed,” she said, adding that more voices would be raised. On Kashmir, Maryam said that she did not want to name Kashmir, but the government had made a bargain on Kashmir.

Maryam accused the government of letting government officials involved in the Rawalpindi Ring Road scam slip out of the country. She alleged that government granted loans to the mafia. She regretted that to stick to the power, these people could put anything at stake.

She prayed God might save our country from these rulers as they had been brought down to Parliament through parachute. This bunch has nothing to do with democracy, adding they had no right to talk about the Parliament.

On Lahore blast in Johar Town today in which three people were killed and 16 others including police personnel injured, Maryam expressed her deep grief. She prayed for the early recovery of the wounded. She eulogised the services of police force, asking authorities to recognise the sacrifices of law enforcers.