Responding to PTI founder Imran Khan’s call for a “final protest,” PML-N President Nawaz Sharif questioned why people would heed his appeal when Khan’s nearly four years in power brought nothing but “disrepute to the country.”
“What has Imran Khan done during his tenure that would inspire people to protest on his behalf? Can he point to a single development project he accomplished?” Nawaz asked during an informal interaction with reporters in London.
Imran Khan has announced a protest march to Islamabad on November 24, according to his lawyer Faisal Chaudhry and sister. Describing the march as a “final call” against the government, Chaudhry said the protest would involve the PTI’s entire leadership and take place not only in Islamabad but across Pakistan and internationally, where Khan’s supporters reside.
Chaudhry also mentioned that a committee had been formed to oversee the march but refrained from disclosing the names of its members due to fears of potential arrests.
Criticizing Khan’s tenure, Nawaz Sharif stated, “Can Imran claim to have built a motorway, launched a significant project, established power plants, or ended load-shedding? His record is empty.” Instead of focusing on development, Nawaz alleged, Khan collaborated with judges like Saqib Nisar to orchestrate his disqualification in 2016, undermining democracy.
Praising current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz noted that efforts to rebuild the economy are yielding positive results, with economic indicators showing improvement. “Pakistan has emerged from its challenges and is now on a path to prosperity,” he said, though he acknowledged ongoing obstacles to development.
Reflecting on the PML-N’s hardships during Khan’s tenure, Nawaz accused Khan, along with former army chief Gen (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and ex-ISI chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, of orchestrating widespread victimization against his party.
He also recalled being denied permission to travel to London to visit his ailing wife, Kulsoom Nawaz.
Nawaz concluded by asserting that Khan and his allies must be held accountable for their actions before issuing protest calls, saying, “They have done nothing but harm the country.”
