Security establishment answerable for stealing popular vote: Nawaz Sharif

LAHORE: PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif on Friday blamed security establishment for his ouster as prime minister and bringing Imran Khan into power.

The former three-time prime ministers made the remarks while addressing the first gathering of Pakistan Democratic Movement , an alliance of opposition parties, in Gujranwala from London via video link.

Sharif named the army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and the ISI DG Gen Faiz Hameed, saying they are answerable for stealing the popular vote and for all the issues faced by the people under their ‘selected’ government.

“You can label me a traitor if you want, seize my properties, file false cases against me […] but Nawaz Sharif will continue to speak for his people.”

Nawaz also lashed out at the Imran Khan government for failing to do its job and said people were paying for its incompetence.

Sharif also took at a shot at former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, saying why a dictator was able to get away yet civilian leaders like himself were victimised.

“Why are elected prime ministers not allowed to complete their five-year term?

“We made so many strides in development,” he said talking about his tenure as premier, “but this government ruined everything.”

“Who are patriots? The ones who destroyed the Constitution, who broke the country into two halves.”

He questioned why retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa was still not facing any cases for reportedly amassing assets beyond known sources of income.

Referring to allegations levelled regarding Bajwa’s family’s assets, Nawaz said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should have investigated the claims.

“How can he continue to work as chairman of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority?”

Nawaz repeated his accusation that NAB was one-sided and only goes after the opposition.