LAHORE -UNS: Deposed prime minister and proclaimed offender Nawaz Sharif, who returned to Pakistan today after spending four years in self-imposed exile, said he has “no wish for revenge” and stressed on beginning a “new journey” towards growth.
“There are some wounds that take time to heal, but I have no wish for revenge. Nawaz Sharif only wishes for the well-being of the people,” he said during an address at his homecoming rally in Lahore.
The elder Sharif arrived in Islamabad in the afternoon, where he completed legal and biometric formalities. His chartered plane landed in the capital city with more than 150 people from his party and media organisations, the PML-N said.
Observers say the reason Nawaz arrived in Islamabad first was that his touchdown in the capital was necessary to make bail, earlier granted by the Islamabad High Court on Oct 19.
After completing the formalities, Nawaz left for Lahore on his plane and reached his hometown a little after 5pm. He was welcomed by his younger brother Shehbaz Sharif and other party leaders at the airport. Nawaz was then flown to Lahore Fort on helicopter.
He then offered Maghreb prayers at the Lahore Fort with Shehbaz, Ishaq Dar and other party leaders before making his way to the Minar-i-Pakistan. Upon arrival, a visibly emotional Nawaz embraced his daughter Maryam and greeted other party leaders on stage.
At the outset of his speech, the PML-N supremo said: “I am meeting you today after several years, but my relationship of love with you is the same.
“There is no difference in this relationship. The love I am seeing in your eyes, I am proud of it.”
Nawaz said he never betrayed his supporters nor did he shy away from any kind of sacrifice. He recalled how “fake cases” were framed against him and his party leaders. “But no one abandoned the PML-N flag.”
“Tell me, who separated Nawaz Sharif from his nation? We are those who built Pakistan. We made Pakistan an atomic power. We brought an end to loadshedding,” he said, highlighting how he produced and provided “cheap” electricity to the people.
Responding to the crowd cheering, Nawaz said: “I know you want to hear that I love you too.”
“Today, trust me, after seeing your love, I have forgotten all my grief and pain. I don’t even want to remember. But, there are some wounds that can’t ever heal.”
Nawaz, in a quivering voice, said how he had lost his mother and wife “to politics”. He recalled how he couldn’t pay his final respects to his mother, father or wife, despite repeated requests to the jail superintendent in his wife’s case.
“I kept thinking about how difficult could it possibly be for him to just arrange a phone call. After 2.5 hours, his number 2 man came and told me that my wife has passed away,” the deposed PM said, adding that he had stopped them from giving Maryam the news.
“What would she have gone through […] this is our own country, I am a true Pakistani, the love for Pakistan is in my chest,” he said.
Nawaz further recalled the impediments he faced at the time of making Pakistan an atomic power. “There will be record present in the Foreign Office that Clinton offered me $5bn […] this happened in 1999 […] I could have been offered $1 or 2 billion too, but I was born in the land of Pakistan and this did not permit me to accept what is against Pakistan’s favour.
“Tell me, if someone else would have been in my place — you know who — could he have said this to the American president? So, do we get punished for this? Are verdicts announced against us for this reason?” he said.
