Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has urged the nation to stand with him for changing the fate of Pakistan. Addressing a massive crowd in Gujrat on Friday, he asked if the people had accepted the verdict against his premiership that evoked a resounding chorus from the crowd: No! "Have you accepted the court's decision? My appeal is in your court. Nawaz Sharif's appeal is in your court," he asked and said the mandate of the people was torn apart when he was kicked out of the office.
"It is a matter of respect of 200 million people and no individual can take this right from people," he said claiming that he had not indulged in any sort of corruption. "Why was Nawaz Sharif ousted? Someone should tell me what corruption charges I am facing. The judges are saying that Nawaz Sharif has not done corruption. The nation is asking why I was ousted," he reiterated. Nawaz further said that millions of people voted for Nawaz Sharif and a few dishonourably ousted Nawaz Sharif.
He said that no one would have been unemployed if he was not ousted by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He said that he made all out efforts to end power load-shedding from the country. He said that power crisis would end by next year. He lamented that it was in the nature of the rival parties to level accusations against him. He reiterated that votes of people were torn down because millions of people elected him but a few people made him ineligible. He said this joke had been repeated for the past 70 years.
Without naming PTI Chairman Imran Khan, he said he was aware of the conspiracy backed by certain people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). On his disqualification, he said, it was for the third time that he was ousted. Defending himself, he said that no father takes salary from his son. The supporters replied no when Nawaz asked whether he should sit in his home. He also sought peoples' support, warning that the country would struggle if such ousters reoccur.
"We all shall stand up against this trend and no one can stop Pakistan from progressing, he vowed expressing hope to change the destiny of the country. He equated his public mandate with the honour of 20 million people. "Today, there is electricity in the country, the farmers tube well is working, load-shedding is about to end in this country, prosperity is returning to the countrym," he said.
The route of Nawaz's convoy was changed after he had addressed his supporters in Gujrat's Central Point. Nawaz departed from Jhelum at around 11:30am on Friday, continuing his journey to Lahore via the GT Road. Former prime minister was also greeted by supporters in Sarai Alamgir, Kharian, Lala Musa and Gujrat. Earlier, he spent Thursday night at the Tulip Hotel. Local leaders of the PML-N, along with supporters, and security staff gathered amassed at the venue.
Senior party leaders Pervaiz Rasheed, Kh Saad Rafique, Amir Muqam and Abid Sher Ali and others were accompanying Nawaz. PML-N leader and state minister Talal Chaudhry confirmed that Nawaz would be spending Friday night in Gujranwala and resume his journey to Lahore on Saturday.