Shehbaz wants Pakistan to become economic power

Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has stressed the need for concerted efforts to make Pakistan an economic power.

He was addressing the participants of a Youm-i-Takbeer event online at the PML-N Lahore Office on Thursday. He said under the leadership of former premier Nawaz Sharif, the nation told the world about the strength of becoming an atomic power on May 28 1998 in a direct response to Indian nuclear tests.

The nation should show the same spirit to let the world know about its strength to become a global economic power, he said and urged people to follow in the footsteps of Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The former Punjab CM recounted feats of his big brother Nawaz, saying that the ex-PM braved the world powers’ response to Pakistan becoming the first atomic power of the Ummah and joining the atomic powers group.

“Nawaz rejected US President Bill Clinton’s $5 billion offer to stop Pakistan from becoming the N-power. The former PM stood firm and proved that he was the leader of the nation that is free and capable of self-defence,” he maintained. 

He paid tribute to the scientists, servicemen and the national leadership for showing solidarity for the sake of sovereignty.

“From Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to Nawaz Sharif, thousands of Pakistanis spent their lives to make this dream come true. They deserve respect. They deserve the status of Ghazis.”

The opposition leader took a swipe at the rulers for their failure to deliver, saying that the PTI lacked the will to rule and it has nothing to do with public service as their poor policy provided India room to continue with use of brutal force in occupied Kashmir.

Shehbaz said the government is in a state of confusion and lacked the decision power to get over crises like COVID-19 outbreak. He said he led efforts to create national cohesion but Prime Minister Imran Khan refused to take all party leaders on board. Such an attitude by the head of a state would result in disaster, he concluded.