Being punished for making Pakistan an atomic power: Nawaz

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday claimed he was being punished for making Pakistan an atomic power.

"I appeared before the court for the 80th time today," he said. "Why do I have to endure appearances before court?"

Discussing the no-trust motion in Balochistan that had ended Pakistan Muslime League - Nawaz's rule in the province just before the general elections, the party supremo said, "Who is responsible for dissolving the Balochistan government?"

In a dramatic twist months before the general elections, 14 members of the Balochistan Assembly belonging to opposition and coalition parties on January 3 had moved a no-trust motion against Chief Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, who later removed a minister and a special assistant for supporting the motion.

Nawaz observed that a resolution to delay the elections was approved by the Balochistan Assembly. "You can see for yourself now, those who approved the resolution, the nation has rejected your move," he said.

The PML-N supremo said that those who had submitted the resolution in the Balochistan Assembly to get elections delayed had first made the excuse of Hajj and then rain and floods.

"Whose language was the assembly speaking," he said, stressing that elections could not be delayed at any cost. "Everyone knows only PML-N will stand victorious whenever the elections are held."

"Everyone hear me loud and clear; elections will not be delayed for even a moment," said Nawaz.

Referring to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Imran Khan as 'liar Khan', the PML-N supremo claimed that his political rivals including PTI were afraid to contest elections because they knew they would stand defeated.

"You cannot return home [from polling boths] on the day of election until PML-N stands victorious," he told the rally attendees.

The Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) supremo lamented that cases against him were filed because he eradicated terrorism and ended power load-shedding in the country.

Maintaining his stance that not even a rupee's corruption could be proven against him, Nawaz said the corruption references against him were baseless.

"Pakistan was on the track of development when a decision was announced," he said in an apparent reference of the apex court's verdict that disqualified Nawaz from holding public office.

"Wasn't this verdict wrong?" he asked the attendees of the rally, stressing that wrong decisions must be made right.

"Only your vote can get this decision corrected," the PML-N supremo reiterated.

Taking a jibe at political rival Imran, Nawaz said 'liar Khan' had done nothing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — where PTI had formed government after being elected in 2013.

"People of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) curse Khan; he has left the province in a state worse than before."