BAHAWALPUR: Kick-starting her campaign to reorganise the PML-N in an election year, Maryam Nawaz Sharif held what she termed a ‘cabal of five’ responsible for the country’s present ills, taking the PTI to task over the poor law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and rejecting criticism of “dynastic politics” in the party.

Addressing the party’s first-ever divisional workers convention here on Wednesday, the newly-appointed senior vice president and chief organiser claimed that the PML-N would sweep the next election, whenever it was held.

“Right now, the country has no choice but Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N,” she said.

“Someone was taking diamond rings, someone was taking plots, someone was making money thro­ugh the land, someone was sending money to Dubai and someone built a house on several hundred kanals in Chakwal,” she added.

Among the so-called ‘cabal of five’, she named Imran Khan, former CJP Saqib Nisar and retired Justice Asif Khosa, but left little doubt whom she was referring to as the ‘crutches of Imran Khan’ in her speech.

She said the last PML-N government had eliminated militancy in the country but it surfaced again during the PTI rule. She asked why a man (Gen retired Faiz Hameed) described by Mr Khan as his “eyes and ears” who opened doors to terrorists was posted in Peshawar.

Talking about the resurgence of terrorism in the country, Maryam said it was all due to Imran Khan who, during his tenure, skipped eight meetings held to discuss the strategy to counter terrorism. She said the PTI ruled KP for over nine years but did nothing to improve police capacity.

The PML-N leader said it was her party’s responsibility to save the country from this lot.

Referring to criticism that the PML-N continues to indulge in dynastic politics, she said “the nation’s love is not dynasty but democracy”.

She said that Nawaz Sharif had no regrets over the removal of his government, but he was pained that all the measures taken to improve Pakistan’s economy had been wasted.

She expressed sorrow over the suicide attack in Peshawar and extended condolences to bereaved families.

She asked the youth and women to stand by the PML-N and deliver her message door to door. She asked them to become the part of her social media campaign and join her WhatsApp group.

At the end of her speech, she took an oath from workers to serve the country selflessly and participate in its reconstruction.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2023