PM-elect Shehbaz Sharif invites opposition for ‘Charter of Reconciliation’

Liaquat Ali

Islamabad: Pakistan’s newly elected prime minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday invited the opposition for ‘Charter of Recondcialtion’ to steer Pakistan out of crises.

“Work ahead is difficult’ but not impossible,” Shehbaz Sharif — surrounded by party lawmakers — said in his victory speech in NA.

The premier-elect thanked PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif for nominating him for the coveted post and expressed gratitude to his allies including PPP and the MQM-P and others for supporting him.

He lamented the “judicial murder” of PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and paid homage to his daughter and ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto for paying the ultimate price for democracy.

Without taking any names, Shehbaz took a jibe at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for hounding the opposition when it was in power, going against the country’s national interests while resorting to levelling serious allegations against the armed forces.

Elaborating on his government’s plans to steer the country out of the prevailing crises, Shehbaz said that people from all walks of life have to come together to change the country’s destiny and overcome the challenges.

Addressing the economic crunch faced by the country, the PML-N leader highlighted that out of the Rs12,300 billion generated by the country, Rs7,300 billion is given to the provinces under the National Finance Commission award and the government faces a whopping Rs7000 billion deficit due to services charges worth up to Rs8,000 billion.

“Where will the money come for development, health and education sectors? From where will the armed forces’ government employees’ salaries be paid?”