PESHAWAR: Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and daughter Maryam reached Peshawar on Sunday to address a party rally near the motorway toll plaza.
Addressing the participants, Nawaz said that the people have shown that they do not accept the decision against him.
"Today you have told that the decision against Nawaz is unacceptable, time is changing and will change," he said.
The PML-N chief questioned the performance of Imran Khan — whose party formed the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in 2013.
"What did you do Imran Khan? Did you end load-shedding? What did you do for the people of KP?"
The former prime minister claimed that the current KP government had not done anything to improve the life of citizens and lashed out on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's slogan 'naya [new] Pakistan'.
"Where is the new Pakistan? Can you see it anywhere?"
"KP does not even have a forensic laboratory or else cases like Aasma's would not have been dealt the way they were," he said, referring to a recent rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Mardan. The KP government took assistance from the Punjab Forensics Laboratory to trace the criminal through DNA testing.
"Peshawar has taken 'notice' today"
“Today, Peshawar has taken ‘notice’ of the violation of people’s elected leader,” said Maryam.
She added that the people of Peshawar have declared Nawaz honest and truthful today.
Maryam began her speech by offering condolences to the Pakistan Army officials martyred in a suicide attack in Swat on Saturday.
Taking a jibe at the ruling party of the province, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), she asked where the 'change' is, referring to the party's slogan.
"Nawaz will roar in the elections," she said, and asked the participants of the rally to promise that they will take 'revenge' for the violation of their vote by voting for PML-N in the general election.
Nawaz will now address the gathering.
Earlier, the former premier was at the residence of provincial party chief Amir Muqam, where he chaired an informal meeting with PML-N provincial assembly members.
Nawaz and the PML-N MPAs' meeting at Amir Muqam's residence. Photo: Geo News
Maryam's address at the rally was the first of her 'political career'.
Preparations for the rally were completed earlier and fool-proof security ensured in and around the venue.
More than a thousand police personnel are deployed at the site of the rally, where scores of PML-N supporters from the province as well as Islamabad have arrived.
Talking to the media at the venue earlier, Nawaz's aide Senator Asif Kirmani said they will turn the province into a den of the PML-N.
Nawaz, Maryam arrive at Amir Muqam's house
In his last address to a public gathering in Jaranwala, the former premier said his party will push its “political opponents hard" in 2018, so they are not seen again.
The PML-N president also touched upon the reasons for his ouster, a recurring theme in his recent rallies.
"Is it a crime to not draw a salary from your son?" Nawaz questioned the attendees of the rally. "I was ousted because of this crime."
