KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday lashed out at the government and blamed the rulers for using democracy for personal gains, DawnNews reported.

Addressing media representatives in Sindh’s Sakrand town, Mr Sharif held the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leadership — and not the party itself — responsible for the current turmoil confronting the country.

The PML-N chief lamented the condition of state-run institutions and said he foresaw the future of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) as similar to that of the Railways.

The government’s writ is absent, he said, adding that the public was facing the consequences of bad governance.

While talking about the recent appointment of Admiral (retd) Fasih Bukhari as the chairman of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), he said the appointment fell short of satisfying the apex court's rulings and lacked the requirements of the consultation process.

He said the 18th Amendment was approved “in order to clear the mess created by the dictator-backed 17th Amendment”.

Mr Sharif rejected the prime minister’s claim that the passage of the 18th Amendment paved the way for him to become premier for a third time.

He said he was not dependent on the 18th Amendment to become the premier for a third time, adding that he could have approached the courts in this regard.