Responding to jailed PTI founder Imran Khan’s call for a “final protest,” Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif questioned why people would heed his call, alleging that Khan’s nearly four years in power brought only “disrepute to the country.”
During an informal interaction with reporters in London on November 15, Sharif asked, “What has Imran Khan achieved during his tenure that would motivate people to take to the streets? Can he name a single development project he initiated that he can take pride in?”
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Sharif criticized the PTI founder’s performance, claiming, “His record is devoid of achievements like motorways, power projects, or efforts to end loadshedding. His contribution to the country is zero.” He further accused Khan of undermining democracy and conspiring with judges, such as former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, to orchestrate Sharif’s disqualification in 2016.
Khan’s lawyer and sister recently announced that the PTI leader had called for a protest march on November 24, aimed at mobilizing supporters nationwide and globally. The protest committee’s members remain undisclosed, with fears of arrests looming. However, Sharif dismissed the legitimacy of such protests, suggesting Khan and his allies must first be held accountable for their alleged misdeeds.
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Sharif lauded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts to stabilize the economy, citing improved economic indicators as evidence of progress. “Pakistan is emerging from difficulties and heading toward prosperity,” he said, while accusing Khan, along with former army chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former ISI chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, of orchestrating severe victimization against the PML-N during Khan’s tenure.
Sharif also recalled being denied permission to visit his ailing wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, during that time, adding, “They did nothing but harm the country. Such individuals must answer for their actions before making any calls for protests.”