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By Aamir Latif
LAHORE, Pakistan
These are difficult times for Shehbaz Sharif, who now heads the Muslim League of Pakistan-Nawaz (PML-N).
In an e-mail interview with Anadolu Agency Before the July 25 general election, Shehbaz Sharif alleged that pre-ballot rigging and a power outage had occurred in the media and promised to repair relations between civilian and military when he came to power.
Shehbaz Sharif was three times chief minister of Punjab, Pakistan's most populous and prosperous province.
He is proud of what he did for Lahore, the provincial capital, investing heavily in his infrastructure and initiating the first
But Shehbaz Sharif, as a faithful brother, has always followed Nawaz Sharif, who was occupying grueling politics on the national front. With Sharif, the former prime minister, sentenced to 10 years in prison and disqualified for life, Shehbaz Sharif was placed in the arena of national politics.
In March, he was elected leader of the party. He is also the party's candidate for the post of prime minister in the elections
Q: How do you see the prospects of the PML-N in the next elections?
PML (N) is the largest federal party in the country. It has garnered more than 14 million votes in previous elections and won all by-elections and polls of local bodies convincingly. This gives you an idea of the popular appeal and the strength of the party.
Despite engineered defections and all sorts of pressure on PML-N noteholders, the party remains strong and resilient. We have a strong vote bank across the country. During the past ten years in Punjab and five years at the federal level, PML-N has established dedicated public service benchmarks. Ridding the country of the twin scourges of terrorism and the energy crisis are the brightest achievements. We have largely kept our promises that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif [PML-N Quaid] made with the mbades in 2013.
The PML-N approached the electorate on the basis of its track record of excellent public service. Our case is really simple. If people are happy with our performance, they would vote for us. This represents a marked departure in politics and sets a healthy precedent for the future. We are confident that the party will make impressive electoral gains in the July 25 elections.
Q: Do you often talk about the Turkish model of development at your electoral gatherings? How would you implement it in Pakistan if your party wins the elections?
Turkey is a brother country with whom we share the link between history, civilization and faith. Turkey and Pakistan have maintained excellent relations throughout the decades and their worldview on regional and global issues has been identical. The close link between peoples is the culmination of our excellent bilateral relations.
That said, Turkey has become a regional economic power and a solid democracy over the past two decades. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been at the heart of the profound transformations that Turkey has seen in recent years. President Erdogan and the Justice and Development Party [AK] provided Turkey with remarkable leadership and stability at a time when the world continues to face turmoil, unrest and chaos.
I am in love with the way AK Party toured Turkey. The reforms resulted in the lifting of the socio-economic status of the populations and their strengthening as actors in a democratic system. Today, Turkey is one of the privileged countries of the G20, reflecting the greatness of President Erdogan's vision.
I am particularly impressed by the sustained attention that the AK Party gives to human well-being, which makes it the basis of a wider acceptance of the democratic system. I think that a development model that makes the well-being of the mbades his motor spirit will survive all the upheavals.
Q: If PML (N) wins the elections, will you be comfortable with the mighty military establishment, apparently against Nawaz Sharif?
Pakistan's internal and external challenges are profound and multifaceted. The fluid regional milieu has added to their complexity. Pakistan can effectively address these challenges through a collective approach and national wisdom.
I am of the opinion that there is a need for a great debate among all the stakeholders of Pakistan, be it parliament, political parties, judiciary and government. Military establishment to sit down at the table and formulate a national response on the main challenges. As Pakistanis, we need to agree on a broad national agenda to move the country forward and provide the stability it so badly needs.
The country mis-grants another five-year term marked by agitation and sit-ins. Mbadive opportunities await Pakistan as CPEC projects enter the implementation and completion phase. What is required is continuity and predictability of policies?
So I have no problem working with the Pakistani army to rid the country of a myriad of challenges. Look at how civil-military cooperation has led to the elimination of terrorism and peace in Pakistan. We need this coordination to continue. The interest of Pakistan is supreme and must outpace all the rest. So, I will be comfortable with anyone who works for the cause of Pakistan and the bright future of our children.
Q: Do you see pre-election rigging?
I believe that fair, free and transparent elections are essential for the future of Pakistan and that it is the responsibility of the Pakistan Electoral Commission and the federal and provincial interim governments for Ensure that all political parties have a level playing field.
Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case. The PML-N was chosen for unfair treatment by the NAB [National Accountability Bureau, the top anti-corruption authority] and the interim provincial administration a few days before the elections. What confirms our fears is the privileged treatment accorded to a political party, smoothing its way to power.
Our candidates were forced to separate from the party and join the PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led by former cricket star Imran Khan] or become independent. NAB has sued the PML-N candidates with investigations, stopping some of them near elections.
The recent example of pre-poll rigging concerns a total breakdown of the mbadive public gathering that I led to Lahore on the return to the country of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter . During my political career that spans over more than three decades, I have not yet seen a more crowded crowd, pbadion and energy, but not even a single l & rdquo channel. Covered.
Thousands of our workers were arrested before the rally, specifically 16,000 Punjab workers.
The specter of violence has returned and candidates belonging to opposition parties have been targeted.
This is unacceptable. We believe that the Electoral Commission has not fulfilled its essential function and that the interim government has lost all its polish of neutrality.
Our election campaign is at a higher speed. And you know what our performance and service are doing for us. Development work, undertaken with the utmost honesty, dedication and transparency, makes us speak for us. People are politically conscious and know exactly who served them and who fed them rhetoric and wasted their precious time. They will make their verdict by enlightened choices on July 25th.
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