Former Pak PM Nawaz Sharif lashes out at ‘undemocratic forces’

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while speaking at the Pakistani Muslim League Nawaz’s (PML-N) social media convention on Sunday, lashed out at former Prime Ministers for not being able to complete their terms in Pakistan saying that “Muhammad Iqbal did not dream of this Pakistan”.

“Until now, none of the [elected] prime ministers have been allowed to complete their constitutional term. Every few years, democracy is attacked and martial law is imposed,” he said.

“Again and again, the constitution was violated […] those who created the country were termed traitors, popular leaders were jailed and leaders were made out to be robbers,” the former premier added.

Nawaz further called the general election of 2018 a rigged election adding that the elections were “stolen”. “Tell me, hand on your heart, is this Quaid-i-Azam’s Pakistan?” asked Nawaz.

He said that “undemocratic forces have started propaganda through social media that Nawaz Sharif’s narrative is empowering enemies of the country”.

“These undemocratic forces have choked freedom of expression in the country, choked the poor and unemployment, have crushed them with inflation […] these are painful things but all they are worried about is how to stop Nawaz Sharif,” Nawaz added.

The former prime minister thanked the participants for keeping his and the party’s honour. “From 2017 till now, in the country’s most difficult times, the way you have courageously worked, combatted the army that was created in the name of fifth-generation war and difficulties you endured for the rule of law — all this is a golden chapter of our struggle,” he said.

The Imran Khan government banned the telecast of Nawaz’s speeches throughout the country as a measure to suppress the opposition to which Nawaz added that the world had changed and it was no longer possible to suppress anyone’s voice.

“Social media, despite recently approved rules,” Nawaz said, “is free to quite an extent”. “It is not possible for them to hide their lies any longer, or to suppress the voice of the common man,” he added.