After forging a deal with PPP and six other smaller parties, PML-N leader and newly elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif delivered the victory speech in Pakistan’s National Assembly on Sunday (3rd March). In his maiden speech after the formation of the new government, the PML-N leader listed out the challenges Pakistan is currently facing.
Sharif warned the House that Pakistan was facing an alarming debt crisis so bad that even the expenditures of the National Assembly were being paid after borrowing money. PM-designate Shehbaz Sharif added that the country needed “deep surgery” otherwise its citizens and politicians would have to continue to hang their “heads in shame”.
In the speech dominated by praise for his brother Nawaz Sharif, economic and social dismay in Pakistan, and an aggressive stance against Imran Khan-led PTI, Shehbaz Sharif raked the Kashmir issue on priority in his speech. Pertinent to note that it has been a futile, ill-customary practice for all Pakistani politicians to rake up the Kashmir issue to rally their core voter base, ticking the Army’s check box and paying lip service to the so-called Islamic cause.
Addressing the National Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif claimed that Pakistan would not become part of any “great game” and that his government would increase the number of friends. He also pledged to build and improve ties with all leading nations, including its neighbours. “We will keep ties with neighbours on the basis of equality,” he added.
While claiming to build ties with neighbour, he raked the Kashmir issue and went further to equate it with Palestine.
Shehbaz Sharif lamented, “Let’s all come together and the National Assembly should pass a resolution for the freedom of Kashmiris and Palestinians.”
How will we pay the salaries of armed forces and civil servants: Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif in NA
Apart from highlighting the debt crisis, Shehbaz Sharif pledged to revive Pakistan’s debt-trapped economy and eradicate terrorism. He stressed that Pakistan is facing an alarming debt crisis where even the expenditures of the National Assembly were being paid by borrowing money.
He added, “But if we decide to do a deep surgery and bring changes in the system, basic reform and I have no doubt that Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and others will agree that we can either get rid of a life of debt or we move forward with heads down in shame.”
The PML-N leader wondered, “How will we pay the salaries for armed forces and how to pay the civil servants,” adding that reforming the economy was the biggest challenge faced by the country.
He also emphasised the burden of debt stating that the country was required to pay billions of rupees in interest only.
In a bold claim, Shehbaz stated that his government would work hard and set a goal to become a member of G20 countries by 2030. Notably, the G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s powerful countries including major developed and developing economies.
He delivered the speech amidst continuous sloganeering by the members of Imran Khan’s party members against alleged “mandate thieves.”
Hung assembly results led to hefty negotiations
For those unversed, Shehbaz Sharif was recently elected as the 24th prime minister of Pakistan, and for a second time since 2022. During the voting in the newly-elected National Assembly, Shehbaz secured 201 votes while his challenger Omar Ayub Khan from the jailed Imran Khan-led PTI got only 92 votes.
In his speech, the 72-year-old Shehbaz profusely thanked his elder brother and three-time former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif and his alliance parties for putting their trust in him and allowing him to head a coalition government after last month’s election resulted in a hung Parliament. In an election marred with institutional rigging, PTI-backed Independent candidates led in the results with around 92 seats, PML-N emerged as the single-largest party with 75 seats followed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s PPP with 54 seats.
After hefty negotiations and backdoor dealings, Shehbaz’s victory was expected as he gained the support of seven other parties and he also enjoyed the tacit backing of the Pakistan Army which controls every activity in Pakistan behind the scenes.
Regarding the coalition government, Shehbaz justified it stating that as no party secured a clear parliamentary majority, it was “the democratic way” that “like-minded parties may form a coalition government”.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Pakistan President Arif Alvi is slated to administer the oath of Prime Minister’s post to Shehbaz Sharif in a ceremony at the President’s House at 3 pm on Monday (4th March).
