Former premier and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif Sunday directed all party leaders and workers to get involved in the relief efforts for flood affectees and leave all their prior commitments as “this is not the time for politics.”
Nawaz was formally back on TV screens after a gap of almost two years. Delivered from London, the speech of the former prime minister was telecast by all TV channels, including the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV). In a televised message, the party supremo appealed to affluent individuals to generously support flood affectees across Pakistan.
Nawaz acknowledged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s efforts during the time of catastrophe. He revealed that the party’s vice-president Maryam Nawaz is also going to review the ongoing relief work and personally visit flood-hit areas.
“PM Shehbaz and Maryam will hold the hands of all affectees,” he said, assuring that they will not leave the victims alone during these tough times. The former prime minister said that this is a time to revisit one’s own actions. “Floods are indeed a huge natural disaster. Thousands of people have died and millions are left homeless,” he said, adding it is the time to generously help the victims. Nawaz also appealed to set up relief camps for flood affectees and asked to provide them with tents to ensure shelter.
“Distressed people are awaiting your help, as floods have caused widespread destruction,” he remarked. It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) imposed a ban on the speeches of Nawaz Sharif back in October 2020. It was the time when elder Sharif was taking the military establishment head-on in his hard-hitting speeches from London where he is in self-imposed exile since 2019. TV channels were directed by PEMRA not to telecast his speeches, interviews and addresses to the public rallies. During that time, the elder Sharif had accused the establishment of dislodging his government.
Right after Nawaz’s speech, former information minister and PTI’s central leader Fawad Chaudhry lashed out at the government. “A message was sent by broadcasting Nawaz Sharif’s speech on PTV that there are two laws existing in Pakistan,” Fawad tweeted.
