LAHORE: The controversy over the party’s narrative took a new turn on Wednesday as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice President Maryam Nawaz rejected the portrayal of party president Shehbaz Sharif, arguing that there could be no narrative if Nawaz Sharif’s narrative is not accepted in the party.
“If Nawaz Sharif’s narrative is not correct, then is it right to violate the constitution, steal elections, put pressure on judges and media,” remarked Maryam Nawaz while addressing a party meeting chaired by party chief Nawaz Sharif who attended the meeting through video-link.
PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza Shehbaz, were notably absent from the meeting. Those who attended included Rana Sanaullah, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Owais Leghari, Ayaz Sadiq, Zeeshan Rafique, Nuzhat Sadiq, Shahnawaz Ranjha, MNAs, MPAs and other party officials.
“When they fail to break the PML-N, it is said that the party has been a divide between followers of two and three narratives. If Nawaz Sharif’s narrative is not correct, then whose narrative would prevail,” said Maryam Nawaz pointing fingers at Shehbaz Sharif.
She added that no one can rig the elections in future and now the state institutions will have to retreat back.
“The result of the rigging is that Pakistan is suffering today. Now [dissenting] voices are being raised from within the [state] institutions. When they fail to divide the PML-N, they say that there are two or three narratives in the PML-N,” said Maryam Nawaz.
Referring to her failure during the campaign in the Azad Kashmir elections, Maryam Nawaz said that her father Nawaz Sharif and uncle Shahbaz Sharif had tasked her to lead the party’s campaign in Azad Kashmir elections.
“Due to our extraordinary campaigning, the PML-N bagged unprecedented popularity. Despite all their power, the rulers got six lakh votes while the PML-N bagged five lakh votes. This was unprecedented in history,” said Maryam Nawaz who had been blamed by Shehbaz Sharif for running a failed campaign in Azad Kashmir polls.
“In an environment of oppression where rigging, intimidation and the use of force by the rulers, our party got this success despite being selectively targeted from top to bottom. Despite this oppression and rigging, the PTI badly lost the cantonment elections,” she said.
Maryam asserted that massive rigging in 2018 had helped the PTI win the elections.
“They also won in Azad Kashmir and Sialkot by-pols due to rigging. I want to say that rigging cannot take place all the time. Today, the whole nation knows what kind of torment Pakistan is facing today.
“They have to be exposed now as dissenting voices are being raised from within the state institutions that if this is the result of fraud, then the institutions will have to step back and not interfere in politics,” claimed Maryam Nawaz.
Referring to her proximity with Nawaz Sharif, Maryam said that the father-daughter relationship has now gone far. In a bid to encourage Nawaz Sharif, Maryam said that her father had to be remembered in history as a revolutionist and a reformer.
“Nawaz Sharif is my leader and I am his follower. Mian Sahib, when the time changes, people will remember you. Your name will not be among those who build motorways, power plants and revived the economy.
“Rather, you will be remembered as a leader who changed the course of Pakistan’s history by facing the trials and making sacrifices. Nawaz Sharif who stood for the oppressed against the oppressors,” remarked Maryam Nawaz.
