Nawaz will make Pakistan 'great' if voted back to power: Shehbaz

The premier distributes cheques among the youth

LAHORE (Dunya News) - Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said Nawaz Sharif would turn Pakistan into a progressive state if the people of Pakistan gave him another opportunity to lead the country. 

"Under the leadership of Nawaz, we have delivered on ground and those who were conspiring against the state had got their conspiracies buried," he said while addressing a cheques distribution ceremony under the Prime Minister Youth Business and Agriculture Loan scheme.   

He said if given an opportunity in the upcoming general elections, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and the entire leadership of the PML-N Pakistan Muslim League-N, would change destiny of the country by taking it on the path of progress and prosperity.

Sharif said they would accept the public mandate in the upcoming polls and urged the people to take their decisions after looking into certain facts and by juxtaposing the performance of the PML-N governments with that of the PTI’s four years’ saga of destruction.

Lauding the statesmanship qualities of his elder brother, the premier regretted that former prime minister and his leader Nawas Sharif was ousted from power despite the fact that he had ended hours long crippling load shedding, provided laptops and loans to youth, brought multi-billions China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPC) power and road infrastructure projects during 2015.

On the other hand, the PTI chairman had phobia about PML-N leadership and the opposition as day in and day out, he was bent upon putting them in jails with framing of fake cases, he said, adding the PTI leader could not assimilate the revolutionary steps taken by the PML-N government.

All the youth programmes, he said were started during the tenure of Nawaz Sharif as alone 50,000 vehicles were provided to the people on merit across Punjab province. The success of loan scheme could be gauged from the fact that 99 per cent loans were returned back to banks, he added.

The prime minister maintained that Nawaz Sharif and they had experienced worst kind of political vendetta, even they were sent on exile after outer from power, but unlike Imran Niazi, the PML-N Quaid never thought of anything against the country.

The prime minister elaborated that the person [the PTI chief] who was brought to power through a fraud elections, kept on chanting the corruption charges during his four years’ tenure but did not prove them, adding but when he was removed from power corridors through a constitutional manner, he used dirty language and tactics against the state institutions.

The prime minister mentioned that the PTI’s tenure was tainted with huge corruption scams including sugar and wheat scams, BRT Peshawar, Malam Jabba, sale of Toshakhana gifts, Rs60 billion money embezzlement returned by the UK agency, etc and said that no one could deny these stark facts. 

He said during his tenure, about one million laptops were given to the youth and the PTI leadership blamed them of using the scheme as bribe, adding that contrary to it, their initiative brought about an IT revolution in the country, enabling the youth to continue their studies, work as freelancers and earn a respectable livelihood for their families.

A number of ministers, advisers, parliamentarians, officials and beneficiaries of the loan and families attended the ceremony.

The prime minister stressed that these laptops were given purely on merit, and if proved otherwise, he would be held accountable as these resources belonged to the country.

The prime minister said that allegations, scandals and use of foul language were rife during the PTI’s government. About $3 billion loans were given to the powerful families during the PTI’s government, he said, and questioned as to why this huge amount was not spent on the future of youth?

Toshakhana gifts for the country were sold in a shabby manner and efforts were made by the former prime minister to protect his spouse from criminal cases. “A worst kind of vengeance was unleashed against the opposition and the civil servants.What was the difference between Hitler and Imran Khan? ” he regretted.

He observed that nations were harmed with such tactics. “It was a heart wrenching story but now it has become a part of the past,” he added.

He said that Nawaz Sharif and he himself had spent 40 years in politics and experienced ordeals for the sake of the motherland.

Nawaz Sharif was accused of Panama papers and given punishment in Iqama charges, he said, adding that PML-N quaid appeared before courts regularly but on the other hand, the PT chief was being granted bails.

The prime minister referring to minister for finance’s announcement regarding reduction in prices of petroleum products by Rs9 and Rs7.50 per liter, said that it was all possible due to appreciation in the value of rupee against dollar which provided them an opportunity to pass on the relief to the public.

The crude oil price in the international market was still high, he added. The prime minister said that it was also IMF’s programme positive aspect which brought stability in the value of rupee.

If they had not reached the agreement, the prime minister observed the difference between the value of rupee and dollar could have increased leading to further difficult economic situation.

“Those people who had conspired against the country, with the grace of Allah Almighty, all their machinations have been buried and their links abroad, including a recent statement by Israel against Pakistan, all these were failed,” he added.

About IMF’s agreement, he said it was something of ‘sweetmeat’ , and alluded to the economic challenges. But with determination and commitment, they could stabilize the economy with revolutionary and bold steps, he stressed.

The prime minister said with sacrifices and hard work, and the solemn pledge by the government, rich and those people blessed with resources, public servants and politicians, they could change country’s fate.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Punjab Balighur Rehman said that young segments had always been a precious asset for any country, and provision of opportunities to them was must.

He advised the youth to always depend upon truthfulness and facts without being beguiled by sensational and misleading statements.

He said all these youth programmes were launched during 2013 which targetted the youth and lauded efforts of the prime minister.

‘Shehbaz’s speed’ had become an international reference for accomplishment of public welfare schemes at rapid speed, he added.

The governor further said that numerous information and technology programmes and skills development schemes were launched by the PML-N government which bridged the digital divide and enabled the youth to earn their livelihood with use of laptop scheme.

Special Assistant to PM on Youth Affairs Shaza Fatima Khawaja informed that under the recent programme, more than 100,000 new entrepreneurs were provided with loans, adding in the last five months, more than Rs30 billion loans had been provided to the young people.

Similarly, in the agriculture sector, loans were also extended for seed, fertilizer and produce, she added.

Shaza further apprised that under three-tier programme, interest free loans worth Rs500,000 upto Rs7.5 million were being provided.

She said the youth loan programme was first initiated by former prime minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.

Earlier, the premier distributed cheques among the youth under the Prime Minister Youth Business and Agriculture Loan scheme.

The scheme is aimed at ensuring provision of low-interest loans on easy terms to talented youth to enable them start their own businesses.

Under the scheme, a special quota has been allocated for women to empower them and encourage more women entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, Prime Minister will also visit Sialkot today where he will distribute laptops among eligible students under the Prime Minister Laptop Scheme.