ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz on Thursday advised retired military officials associated with the Pakistan Ex-Servicemen Society (PESS) to return their titles and medals to the parent institution and join any political party if they are interested in politics.

Talking to reporters after appearing before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Avenfield case, she asked members of the PESS to renounce their titles and medals by returning them to the Pakistan military and announce their affiliation with any political party.

“All those retired military officials not loyal to their institutions and trying to create division within the institutions at anyone’s behest, I believe, is very deplorable. The institution which gave them recognition and titles, and if they resort to abusing their own institution on the behest of Imran Khan and the “hand” behind him [Imran Khan], is also deplorable. This “sinister plan” must come to an end now, as you [Imran Khan] have “launched” these elements to weaken the institution”, she maintained.

Commenting on former interior minister Sheikh Rashid’s statement about Imran Khan having prior knowledge of the no-confidence motion against him, she said that if the former premier knew about the no-trust motion against him then why did he made false claims of a foreign conspiracy behind his ouster and resorted to spreading “anarchy and unrest” in the country.

She also referred to the May 25 protest by the PTI, saying that Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah was waiting as to when Imran Khan’s long-march will again come to Islamabad.

Maryam Nawaz stated that she had a stance that it was better to go for elections for a new mandate. However, when Imran Khan announced to march and “created chaos”, the entire PML-N decided to remain steadfast and not to handover Pakistan to them, she added.

To another question about the controversy about former finance minister Shaukat Tarin, she said that Tarin and the ISPR had already denied the reports as disinformation.

About the power load-shedding, she said that a plan has been given to gradually bring down the power outages. She pointed out that the sick power plants will become operational by the end of this month.

She also criticized the previous government for “wreaking havoc” with the country’s economy.

She maintained that Nawaz Sharif had left the government in 2018 with zero load-shedding and Imran Khan handed over the country to Shehbaz Sharif when it is experiencing five to 10 hours of load-shedding.

She said that all power plants that were closed in the PTI government are now running and by July, 5,000 additional megawatts will be added to the national grid.

“We are not sitting and lamenting. We’ve given plan to the people and will deliver it,” she said, adding that those should be criticised who aggravated the matter.

“We have good intentions and will work hard to guide the country out of the darkness,” she added.

She said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his government is working day and night to improve the economic situation of the country.

“Shehbaz Sharif is well aware of the problems being faced by the public but blamed the previous government for the prolonged power outages”, she said.

She said that the government instead of complaining is taking practical steps to resolve the crisis. We are removing the “landmines” laid down by Imran Khan, she said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022