Former Pakistan Prime Minister appeared to extend an olive branch to India as he made big claims about the Kargil war and the late General Pervez Musharraf, who ousted him from power for opposing the 1999 war. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo said he was never explained why he was ousted from power.
“I should be told why I was ousted in 1993 and 1999. When I opposed the Kargil plan saying it should not happen… I was ousted (by Gen Pervez Musharraf). And later what I said proved right,” Sharif said ahead of upcoming polls, during one of the daily meetings to award party tickets for the February 8 general elections next year.
Nawaz said that on all three occasions being the premier he was delivering but he was sent packing for unknown reasons. “I want to know why I was ousted every time,” he asked. Sharif also talked about the visit of two Indian prime ministers — Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi — to Pakistan only when he was the prime minister of the country.
“We have delivered on every front. During my tenure as PM, two Indian prime ministers visited Pakistan. Modi sahab and Vajpayee sahab had come to Lahore,” the former PM said, stressing improved relations with India and other neighbouring countries. “We will have to improve our relations with India, Afghanistan, and Iran. We need to make more stronger relations with China,” Sharif said. He regretted that Pakistan lagged behind its neighbours in economic growth development.
Lashing out at the jailed former PM Imran Khan, Sharif said he did not know why an inexperienced man was given the reins of the country. “The economy witnessed a downfall during Imran Khan’s government (2018-2202). Then the Shehbaz Sharif government took over in April 2022 and rescued the country from default.”
Sharif reiterated his demand for accountability of former military generals and judges for ruining the country by ousting his government in 2017. “Those who brought this country to this level should be made accountable as patriotic people can’t do this to their country,” he said. “We do not want to come into power to roam around in luxury cars but we want accountability of those (who) ruined this country and made false cases against us,” Sharif had said.
Before his return to the country after self-imposed exile in the UK, Sharif had hinted at bringing former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, and other top Army brass for their crime of ousting his government and causing economic disaster.