ISLAMABAD July 30 (TNS): Holding a press conference here Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Nawaz Sharif asked his party leaders to support Shehbaz Sharif after him.
He announced that the Punjab CM will take charge as PM while Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will remain as interim premier for 45 days. PML-N leaders have also agreed to nominate former Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources as interim prime minister.
The existing Punjab CM will resign from his provincial assembly seat and contest in by elections for NA-120, from which Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the apex court. He will become PM after the success in polls and receiving votes in NA after Abbasi’s resignation.
Nawaz Sharif also said Capital FZE was owned by his son which is why he didn’t take any salary from it being the Chairman Board of Directors.
“Those who visit Dubai know it is difficult to take Iqama and visa. After Saudi Arabia when I went to London, I couldn’t live for more than three months and had to return London before visiting other countries as I couldn’t live for a longer time at one place,” he said.
He elaborated that Capital FZE was owned by his son and only formed to attain visa during the fourteen months of the exile after 1999 ouster. He said, “You should know that when I wanted to go to London, I didn’t have a passport as it was expired.”
While telling about the Capital FZE in Dubai and UAE Iqama, he said, “I had to take new visa from Dubai and go back to London. Our center of politics has remained in London. For the issuance of visa, my son opened the company Capital FZE. He appointed me as Chairman of Board of Directors with a salary of 10,000 dirhams, estimated as 1, 50,000 rupees.”
There was no burden on my shoulders to give resignation as I was clean, I am an ideological person, he said while claiming that he wasn’t so twenty years ago. He said it is not easy to be jailed, exiled and bear difficulties. People used to say I will be imprisoned for life in 1999, he said. Nawaz Sharif said the 14 months after exile were the most difficult in his life. He recalled the pressure from global leaders at the time of Pakistan becoming nuclear power.
The ex-PM said he is ready to sacrifice for the betterment of Pakistan, adding that he was proud of contributing for the democracy. Nawaz Sharif claimed the five-member bench verdict of Supreme Court has been disapproved by the international media. He compared himself with a young soldier who is ready to defend his country.
While stressing to defend the rule of law, he said such minds should emerge to promote the ideology with him and make the destiny of Pakistan. He said he has no regrets of disqualification, but was happy he was not be ousted over corruption. We have to change Pakistan and I have no greed for leadership, he claimed.
The struggle and sacrifices will not be wasted and come of use to this nation, he said. Nawaz Sharif prayed for the betterment of Pakistan and recalled he was very reluctant to become the PM in 2013.
Nawaz Sharif highlighted the achievements of PML-N after coming into power in 2013 including minimizing power outages, eliminating terrorism in the country, health card, new educational institutes, Lowari Tunnel, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and others.
Talking about CPEC, Nawaz Sharif claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the project a gift to him. He stressed that his services for the country should be acknowledged, though he doesn’t want any special gift.
