Pakistan: Former PM Nawaz Sharif Returns After 4 Years in Exile
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Salma Hossein
- . October 21, 2023
- . Update: October 21, 2023 9:30 pm
Nawaz Sharif, who thrice served as Pakistan’s prime minister and was ousted in a military coup, has returned to his motherland after four years in self-imposed exile in the UK. Just days ago, he was granted protective bail by the Islamabad court. His return highlights the leadership vacuum in Pakistan and upcoming elections in 2024.
A huge rally is celebrating Sharif’s homecoming with supporters cheering, dancing and waving the PML-N flags. Sharif said he has no wish for revenge. “I am meeting you today after several years, but my relationship of love with you is the same.”
Pakistan’s former prime minister addressed the crowd, saying that after seeing their love he has forgotten all his grief and pain. “I don’t even want to remember. But, there are some wounds that can’t ever heal.”
Nawaz Sharif Lost Family to Politics
Overwhelmed by his supporters, Sharif cried. He shared how he lost his mother and wife to politics. The 73-year-old cried saying that he couldn’t even pay the final respects to his mother, father or wife. “I kept thinking how difficult it was for him to just arrange a phonecall. After 2.5 hours, his number 2 man came and told and told me that my wife has passed away.”
Sharif said he stopped them from telling the news to Maryam, his daughter who is also a politician. “What would she have gone through…this is our own country. I am a true Pakistani, the love for Pakistan is in my chest.”
Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s former prime minister, said his brother Nawaz Sharif was disqualified based on fictitious and fabricated story. He posted on X that Nawaz Sharif was implicated in absurd cases and subjected to mistreatment. “A fair hearing would have established his innocence.”
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Nawaz Sharif shared concerns about Pakistan’s dire economy. Vowing to redirect the country to the path of growth, he said if Pakistan was run on his 1990 economic model, not a single person would have been unemployed.
“There would be nothing like poverty, but today the conditions are so bad that one has to think if they can feed their children or pay electricity bills.” The PML-N leader said efforts of his government were instrumental in Pakistan’s possible inclusion among the G-20 economies during his last tenure.
Sharif highlighted that the party is committed to serving the people, successfully curbing inflation, and maintaining affordable prices for essential goods.
