ISLAMABAD: Members of the National Assembly (MNAs) belonging to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) claimed on Sunday that the ‘journey to progress’, which was halted in 2018, would resume after Shehbaz Sharif was elected the prime minister.

However, MNAs from the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), who had joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), were of the view that the government had no plan for the country’s progress.

Although it was a holiday on Sunday, majority of the MNAs belonging to various political parties, apart from Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), which did not participate in the polling, reached the Parliament House for the election of the prime minister.

PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb, while speaking to mediapersons, said it was a blessing that Shehbaz Sharif had become the prime minister.

PTI legislators claim new govt has no plan for country’s development

“The way the prime minister completed his speech, despite hooting by the opposition, he will complete his five-year tenure of the government. Shehbaz Sharif invited the opposition to play role for the development of the country, but unfortunately, the opposition is not interested,” she said.

Ms Aurangzeb alleged that in 2018, PTI was imposed on Pakistan through RTS, and during its tenure, the country suffered a lot. She alleged that the PTI came with the agenda to derail democracy and sabotage the economy.

However, PTI legislator Zartaj Gul said the nation had given the decision in favour of the PTI in the February 8 polls and that the “selection” of the prime minister on Sunday was just a mock exercise.

“Their faces were showing that they have not won the election, and they do not have any policy and vision to address the issues of Pakistan,” she said.

MNA Jamshed Dasti said that efforts would be made to block the ways of corruption. He claimed that the PML-N-led government would not sustain six months. MNA Atif Khan said the PTI was in contact with all parties who have raised objections over the elections.

PML-N legislator Hanif Abbasi said it was unfortunate that the PTI was levelling allegations of corruption without realising that it had won most of the seats in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

“According to a report, 58pc people have shown confidence in the February 8 polling, and they believe that it was transparent. However, 70pc people believe that elections in KP were rigged,” he said.

He said it would not be easy to run the country, but only the PML-N was capable of addressing the issues in Pakistan.

Aijaz Jakhrani, who belongs to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said: “Since 2013, PTI has accepted the election results when it wins and rejects the polls when it loses.”

“My party has always rendered sacrifices for the people and always played a role to save Pakistan. After the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, in 2007, most of the parties had announced that they would boycott the election, but the PPP decided to participate in the polls. Today Pakistan is going through sensitive times, so we decided to support the government,” he said.

He urged the PTI to sit in the parliament and start dialogue with the government.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Aminul Haq said his party would stand shoulder to shoulder with the PML-N.

Khawaja Asif said the issue of missing persons in Balochistan should be addressed, suggesting the Baloch leaders, who had been sitting in governments for three to four decades, to think about the people of their province.

“However, it is a fact that in Balochistan, feudals have their own jails, and they keep people there,” he said.

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said his party would play a role in getting thousands of workers released from jails. He said it was unfortunate that PTV ran the speech of Shehbaz Sharif live but did not telecast the speech of Omar Ayub Khan.

He warned that if the attitude of the government did not change, it would become difficult to run the parliament.

Former deputy mayor Islamabad Zeeshan Shah distributed sweets among the workers on the premises of the Parliament House soon after Shehbaz Sharif became the prime minister.

Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2024