Nawaz Sharif fields wife in ‘Waterloo’

Islamabad: Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s wife  will run from his vacated constituency, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) said on Friday.

Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Yasmin Rashid has submitted her nomination papers in Election Commission for NA-120 by-election. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has finalised Faisal Mir for the contest.

Kulsoom Nawaz submitted her nomination papers in the ECP on Friday. The parliament seat fell vacant after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif in Supreme Court Panama case verdict in July.

Although Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif was the first choice for NA-120 as PML-N candidate along with premiership, the nomination was withdrawn by Nawaz Sharif and he was told to continue in his province.

Kulsoom Nawaz is however, not expected to replace Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the Prime Minister who was elected this month after Mr Sharif’s ouster.

Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted by Supreme Court (SC) under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution in Panama Leaks case, on Friday resumed his ‘homecoming rally’ towards Lahore via Grand Trunk Road after a stopover in Jhelum.

Thousands of PML-N supporters thronged the GT Road to express solidarity and love for their ousted leader whereas camps have also been formed all along the way.

The workers displayed banners, flexes, party flags and posters on the route while more than 6,000 security personnel have been deployed to avoid any untoward incident.  All the areas around the route will be sealed.

 Addressing the rally after reaching Jhelum, Nawaz Sharif said that he had promised to do whatever it took to take Pakistan towards prosperity and things have improved a lot during the last four years.
 
“The parties that were going into a different direction in Balochistan, were brought into the mainstream. We made a coalition government there. We saved Karachi from the menace that it was under in 2013. Today, motorways are being made throughout the country and the economic resurgence is underway,” he continued.
 
He said that he was ousted by 5 judges in just one minute. “Isn’t it a disgrace to the people of Pakistan that 5 judges ousted the PM who you had voted to power? The people should ask them why they ousted Nawaz Sharif when he had done no corruption,” he said.
 
Mr Sharif added: “I want to ask why they ousted me. Someone tell me why I was ousted. There were no charges of corruption or kickbacks on me. Did they oust me because Pakistan was progressing and the poor were getting employment.”
 
He said that the nation will avenge everything that had been done with him. “If you hold these people accountable for their deeds now then Pakistan will surely survive”, he said.