Nawaz, Kaira claim their parties will win elections

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Nawaz Sharif and Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira have claimed separately on Sunday that their parties would win the upcoming elections.

Nawaz Sharif expressed confidence that his party would get a two-thirds majority in the coming elections and asked the workers to start preparations for elections without wasting any time.

Speaking at a reception hosted by him for the victorious candidates in the recent by-elections at Raiwind, Nawaz said the PML-N’s victory in the by-polls was proof of the confidence of the people in the party. He said the by-elections were a referendum that show the success of the PML-N government in Punjab and failure of the rulers in the Centre.

Nawaz said they would have to make a new Pakistan by working day and night as the country was in the grip of grave crises. He pointed out that the PPP and its allies had given nothing to the country and they must prepare themselves to return the looted money instead of dreaming about another term after the elections.

The PML-N chief said if voted to power, they would protect the interests of the country and work for raising the living standard of the people. He said the party’s manifesto was in the last phase of completion and would be made public on the founding day of the party on December 30.

Nawaz Sharif said despite obtaining loans of billions of dollars by the rulers, national institutions were in a state of ruin because the rulers had neither the policies nor the wisdom to steer the country out of darkness.

He said the country was facing serious challenges like energy crisis, terrorism and extremism and there was need for strenuous efforts to overcome problems.

Felicitating the party candidates on their victory in by-polls, Nawaz said the winning candidates should work harder and serve the people selflessly for further victories in the general elections. He said there was need to get rid of such elements who had pushed the country towards problems and crisis.

Nawaz said had the democratic setup not been toppled on October 12, 1999, Pakistan would have joined ranks of the developed countries. He said destiny of the country could be changed through hard work and sincerity, adding that if given an opportunity by Allah, his party would again put the country on the road to development and prosperity.

He lauded the merit policy of the Punjab government and said that it had ensured the rights of the deserving people. He said problems of the people could be resolved through right policies, strong economy and good governance.

Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the corrupt rulers had given nothing to the masses except problems, darkness and despondency. He said according to the report of an international institution, corruption of Rs7 billion was being committed daily in the country and the plunder of resources had pushed the country to the brink of disaster.

He said there was a need to change the existing corrupt system and rid the country of corrupt rulers. He said the political opponents were in a state of shock over the thumping success of the PML-N in by-elections.

He said the party’s victory in by-polls was due to the love of the people for Nawaz Sharif, solid policies of the party and the welfare programmes of the Punjab government. He said Nawaz Sharif was a ray of hope for the people of Pakistan and under his leadership all the problems being faced by the country would be overcome.

He said the Punjab government had taken solid steps for elimination of corruption from the province. He said land record computerisation project would be completed next year and it would rid the people of exploitation by patwaris.

Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is set to win the next general elections and continue to rule the country.

Talking to media persons at Karachi airport, the minister said the PPP had entered into an alliance with the PML-Q and Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC). He said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) are also the PPP’s allies but there is no formal declaration as yet for contesting the general elections together.

He said the South Punjab province would be formed in accordance with the aspirations of people of the area.Kaira said that the time period of the commission for the creation of South Punjab province had expired and it had been notified again.

He said a province can be formed if the people of the area aspire the same. “There is a procedure in this regard and there are justified reasons for this,” he opined.He said that the commission for South Punjab province would submit its report in the National Assembly and the set procedure would be adopted.

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