Tradition of implanting ‘blue-eyed boy’ through poll engineering must stop: Sharif

Deposed premier says the country’s future is linked to holding impartial and transparent elections

0SHARES

Former PM Nawaz Sharif addresses a press conference at Punjab House in Islamabad on Wednesday. PHOTO: INP

Deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the country’s future is linked to holding impartial and transparent elections and the 70-year-long tradition of implanting ladlas (blue-eyed boys) through poll engineering must stop.

Addressing a press conference at Punjab House in Islamabad on Wednesday after returning from much-speculated visit to Saudi Arabia, he regretted that results of all previous elections in the country’s history had not been accepted that also led to fall of Dhaka tragedy in 1971, Express News reported.

“Even today the same rule has been followed… stop the way of any political party and pave the way for a ladla,” said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief in an apparent reference to PTI chief Imran Khan, adding that the country’s future was linked to impartial and transparent elections.

Nawaz Sharif returns amid varied speculations

He warned against pushing political parties against the wall through unlawful verdicts and under the table deals, adding that democracy should be allowed to flourish in its original shape in the country.

“Plans of putting those without any proven record of public welfare and development, who depend upon politics of lies, allegations and sit-ins, who are already rejected by the masses, into power should not be made anymore,” said Sharif.

A view of the press conference. PHOTO: APP

The former premier said the people of Pakistan were wise enough to differentiate between good and bad and deserved their opinions to be respected, adding that sanctity of people’s votes must not be violated.

“If these behind the curtains activities do not cease to exist, then I will have no other option but to reveal evidence before the public and tell them the story of the past four years that how the electoral process was being attempted to be influenced,” Sharif remarked.

Nawaz, Shehbaz meet Prince Muhammad bin Salman

He said the democracy must not be enslaved to personal wishes as the caged democracy was another form of dictatorship that cannot defend the national security and sovereignty.

Strategy needed to stop Pakistani reliance on US money

Nawaz Sharif has said that PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi needs to devise a strategy which makes Pakistan self-sufficient, and independent of the need for US aid.

“There is no need for the United States (US) to refer to the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) as ‘aid to Pakistan’,” said the former premier.

Sharif also called a recent tweet by US President Donald Trump ‘disappointing’, in which the US President had lashed out at Pakistan for granting ‘safe haven’ to terrorists the US had been chasing.

“Pakistan has been involved in somebody else’s war for over 17 years. The country has suffered the brunt of the damage the world has seen since 9/11,” Sharif lamented.

“The US President should not forget that my party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, pledged to eradicate terrorism from Pakistan when it came into power in 2013.”

The PML-N chief noted that responsible members of the international community respected the norms of diplomacy when in direct communication with other nation states.

“Pakistan should not be taunted or threatened with the prospect of aid, and labelling the CSF as aid is not correct,” Sharif said.

Recommended Stories