File photo of Maryam Nawaz
Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Senior Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Sunday continued to encourage the public to accord an “historic” welcome to her father, Nawaz Sharif, upon his homecoming on Oct. 21, stressing he was returning to lead the country toward prosperity.
“In his past tenures, Nawaz Sharif had strengthened the national economy, and the nation progressed,” she told a public meeting at Lahore’s Thokhar Niaz Beg. “This time, he is coming to rebuild the economy,” she reiterated, in line with the PMLN’s new narrative of Nawaz not desiring revenge against those who had instigated his ouster, but rather pursuing a national agenda of recovery.
Referring to the gathered crowd—estimated to be around 10,000—she said it “proved” the public would accord a “grand reception” to Nawaz on Oct. 21.
Noting the country and its people had suffered because of the “illegal” ouster of the PMLN leader in 2017, she lamented that the country had seen ever-increasing inflation and a deteriorating economy since that time. Claiming inflation of essential commodities was just 2 percent throughout her father’s government, she said he had also brought an end to loadshedding and curtailed terrorism.
By contrast, she said, the PTI’s rule from 2018-2022 had seen political rulers prioritizing their rivalries instead of serving the people. Describing Nawaz as a “son of the soil,” she said he had not been launched by any “foreign funding” in an apparent reference to the prohibited funding case against PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
“Nawaz Sharif has spent more time in exile than in power,” claimed Maryam, emphasizing that repeated attempts to eradicate the “tiger” had failed. Maintaining that Nawaz’s return was a “ray of hope” for the public, she said this was due to the country seeing several rounds of development under his governance. This process, she vowed, would continue upon his return on Oct. 21.