LAHORE: PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif has said Pakistan will suffer an irreparable loss if the July 25 polls are not held in a free and transparent manner.

“If this happens it will undermine all the progress that has been made in the past few years and the real essence of democracy and supremacy of ballot will stand comprmised. Preventing rigging and promoting fair, free and transparent polls is our goal,” Mr Sharif said during a meeting with a delegation of PML-N lawyers wing in Model Town here on Sunday.

Shahbaz Sharif said: “The people have to choose between those who have served them and who have only made false promises. The PML-N delivered on all counts while PTI deceived,” he said, adding failure to build the metro bus in Peshawar was a testimony to PTI’s [poor] performance.

“Under the leadership of PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif, it rid the country of terrorism and energy crisis and now it is time to make it an economic power,” he said and lauded the role of the lawyers in upholding the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution.

He asked the delegation to form legal aid committees to help the party’s candidates with legal advice as well as keep an eye on any attempts to rig the election.

The PML-N president further said the provision of a level-playing field to all parties was a must. He said the PML-N had prepared a comprehensive manifesto containing solutions to the multiple problems facing the country.

“We have prioritised water crisis, health and education as they are the matter of life and death for the nation. If people give us chance to serve them again, we will make sure that the work begins on resolving the water crisis on the same day. We will be expanding our interventions in health and education sectors to the whole of Pakistan,” Sharif said.

Shahbaz’s visit to Karachi: Shahbaz Sharif is leaving for Karachi on a two-day visit on Monday (today).

According to PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb, the PML-N president will hold a rally in NA-249 from where he is contesting election. She said during his visit Mr Sharif would also meet workers in Lyari and Malir, party minority wing, businessmen and senior journalists.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2018