In a significant policy statement regarding the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)’s vision, former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar conveyed that party leader Nawaz Sharif’s primary focus, upon his anticipated return to the country on October 21, is not vengeance but the task of nation-building.
Speaking to journalists outside the temporary PML-N party headquarters in London, Dar emphasized that Nawaz Sharif has entrusted his fate to Allah, leaving the responsibility of punishing those who ousted him from power through illegal, vindictive, and unethical means to divine justice.
Dar further elaborated that the three-time former Prime Minister is committed to a forward-looking approach that prioritizes Pakistan’s economic growth and development, with no room for revenge in his agenda.
Responding to inquiries about Nawaz’s stance concerning key figures such as former Chief of Army Staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa, former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director General Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed, Panama judges including former Chief Justices of Pakistan Saqib Nisar and Asif Saeed Khosa, Azmat Saeed Sheikh, and Ijazul Ahsan — individuals whom Nawaz had accused of orchestrating a conspiracy that led to his government’s downfall in 2017 — Dar reiterated that Nawaz had put his faith in Allah’s judgment.
Dar pointed out the choice before them: pursuing personal vendettas and settling scores or focusing on the betterment of the nation and its economy. He underscored that Nawaz Sharif’s decision to rely on divine justice has resulted in the rapid exposure of wrongdoers. He cited examples such as Judge Arshed Malik’s video confession of unjustly convicting Nawaz Sharif and Justice Shaukat Siddiqui’s revelations of injustice against Nawaz Sharif, which have unfolded swiftly due to Nawaz’s trust in divine justice.
The former finance minister emphasized that upon his return to Pakistan, Nawaz’s primary objective is nation-building. He aims to steer the country out of crises, drive economic progress and reforms, promote national prosperity, alleviate the hardships faced by the masses, and set Pakistan on a trajectory of progress.
Dar underscored that it is the leader who shapes the narrative, and Nawaz’s narrative, as articulated in 2017 when he left his matter in Allah’s hands, has led to the exposure of those who wronged him.
Dar also highlighted that “economy” will be the central theme of Nawaz’s narrative, with a commitment to restoring Pakistan’s path to development. He praised recent measures taken against dollar hoarders and the black market, asserting that they are beneficial for the economy. He also lauded the establishment of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and the Pakistan sovereign wealth fund, expressing confidence that these revolutionary steps will catalyze Pakistan’s resurgence if the party wins elections.
Following a meeting with Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz at Thornhope House, Dar shared that the PML-N’s narrative revolves around Pakistan’s progress during Nawaz’s tenure from 2013 to 2017, which was subsequently disrupted when his government was ousted.
Dar confirmed that Nawaz Sharif is set to return to Pakistan on October 21, emphasizing Nawaz’s role as a builder of Pakistan. He cited achievements such as ending long hours of power outages, attracting substantial investment for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), generating 12,000 megawatts of electricity, fostering employment, boosting agriculture, and increasing exports, which all contributed to elevating Pakistan’s GDP to over 6.5%.
Dar concluded by stating that Nawaz is returning to Pakistan with the mission of restoring the nation’s prosperity for the people of Pakistan. Furthermore, he asserted his own innocence in the face of allegations and expressed his intention to cooperate with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) regarding the reopened assets beyond means case. Dar maintained that he will prove his innocence in court, asserting that he has been unjustly victimized for political reasons.
