Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated an office of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Lahore’s Mozang area on Tuesday, as part of her mother Kulsoom Nawaz’s election campaign for NA-120 constituency.
Addressing the supporters at a public gathering on Mozang Road, she said her father and former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, was both ‘Sadiq’ and ‘Ameen’ (truthful and honest) – both the terms fall under articles 62, 63 of the Constitution.
In a unanimous verdict on July 28, a five-judge bench of Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif for being not honest with the nation. The apex court had also ordered to create NAB references against Maryam Nawaz, Nawaz Sharif, Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz, Captain Safdar and Ishaq Dar. All members of the Nawaz Sharif’s family have been declared ineligible for government offices.
In her address, Maryam Nawaz questioned if the voters were willing to accept the Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify her father, in response to which the audience chanted in negation.
The ex-PM’s daughter said her father remained quiet for four years “but they [political rivals] are uncomfortable now that he is speaking up for himself.”
Earlier in the day, Maryam stopped at Data Darbar, the shrine of sufi saint Hazrat Ali Hajveri (RA), where she offered prayers.
She also announced her father, Nawaz Sharif, will leave for London on Wednesday to visit Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. She added that she would also leave for London after the election campaign.
NA-120: Hazri at Hazrat Ali Hajveri's (RUA) for salam before starting on-ground campaign. pic.twitter.com/VUXQ1RFclY
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) August 29, 2017
Prior to the start of her visit, a cleanliness drive by the local administration was started in the constituency.
Maryam, who is handling the campaign while her mother and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz candidate for the by-poll, Kulsoom Nawaz, was accompanied by her husband Capt (r) Safdar.
The by-polls for NA-120 seat, which fell vacant after Sharif’s disqualification by the Supreme Court, will be held on September 17.
A total of 44 candidates will contest the NA-120 by-poll.
The Election Commission of Pakistan will establish 220 polling stations and 573 polling booths where the constituency’s 321,786 registered voters can cast their vote.
Maryam Nawaz Sunday chaired a session that was held in Model Town to monitor the election campaign of NA-120 by-poll, and has claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will win the contest.
The meeting was attended by Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Federal Commerce Minister Pervez Malik, provincial ministers Bilal Yasin and Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, MNA Shaista Pervez Malik, Ahmed Hasaan and other party leaders.
Maryam Nawaz also met the municipal representatives, and directed them to run the NA-120 campaign by going to every home in the constituency. She asked the workers to mention their problems in writing, and ensured to get them resolves.
Maryam also told that she has no plan to go to London as yet. Let it be known that Kulsoom Nawaz, Maryam’s mother, is contesting the NA-120 by-poll and is present in London as she has been diagnosed with cancer there.
The NA-120 seat was evacuated when Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan in the high profile Panama Papers case.
