Not an easy task to bring Pakistan back on track: Former PM Nawaz Sharif

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [Pakistan], January 23 (ANI): Ahead of the general elections on February 8, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif said that it would not be an easy task to bring Pakistan back on track, Geo News reported on Monday.

This comes as political leaders from multiple parties in Pakistan ramped up their election campaigns in the country to woo the nation of 240 million people who will elect their representatives next month.

While addressing a rally in Mansehra, from where the leader is contesting the election run, said that Pakistan has fallen behind in the world and that the country has to be ‘rebuilt’.

As per Geo News, reflecting on his previous tenure as the country’s chief executive, the politician underscored that not only had his government restricted the dollar to 104 against the Pakistani rupee, but had also “eliminated” the load shedding from the country.

The leader also attacked Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan, PML-N’s arch-foe and staunch critic, and lamented that the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) fell and voted for this ‘liar’.

Recalling the 2013 elections, Nawaz said that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had approached him on forming a coalition government in KP, however, he decided against it in favour of respecting PTI’s right to form the government due to their numbers.

“I ask the people of KP, what did they [PTI] do during their 10-year rule,” the PML-N supremo said while taking a jibe at the party that ruled the province from 2013 until January 2023.

“These people have ruined this province,” he added.

Promising to address rampant inflation, the politico reassured that, if voted into power, his government would ensure the creation of jobs and would see that Mansehra gets its own airport and that universities and colleges are set up in the area.

Earlier on Saturday, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) began the process of providing postal ballot papers ahead of the upcoming general elections. As per the ECP order, all eligible individuals will complete the process of casting their votes by January 22 through the postal ballot paper. Geo News reported that the application form for the postal ballot can be downloaded from the electoral authority website. Upon receiving the postal ballot, the voter shall then send his vote to the District Returning Officer (DRO) as per the prescribed time.

General elections in Pakistan are set to take place on February 8 for which the ECP’s preparations are in full swing, with the electoral body looking to ensure foolproof arrangements across the country.