Nawaz strengthened Pakistan's defence: Maryam

are violated. "When [Nawaz] fights for the people's rights and demands that there should be the rule of law then he is nominated in treason cases," she said, adding: "What kind of traitor does six nuclear tests in response to five nuclear tests."

Maryam said that Nawaz had "strengthened" Pakistan's defence systems and that he had made motorways on which fighter jets could land and take off. The PML-N vice-president said that despite the economic crisis in Pakistan, he initiated operations to curtail terrorism in the country.

"When Nawaz came into power, the loadshedding would take place for 20 hours in the country. He [almost] finished it," she said. Commenting over the Islamabad High Court Wednesday decision, in which it summoned Nawaz through newspaper advertisements, she said it was "unfortunate".

"You can put up Nawaz's photo in advertisements, but when you place an ad for absconders then people will see a reflection of former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf," she said. Maryam said that Musharraf violated Article 6 of the Constitution and that when he escaped, no one was able to stop him.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) for Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill Thursday said that the people of the country were always remained patriotic and the anti-state narrative of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif was loosing support.

He said that PML-N was at the verge of its disintegration after emerging centrifugal forces from within the party and the present hues and cries by its leaders were aimed to integrate and get control on the party. In an exclusive talk with a private news channel, he said that the present increase in electricity charges was primarily due to revival of its surcharge on its expiry.

PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz addressing a convention on Thursday of PML-N's parliamentarians and ticket holders said that Pakistan's problems would be solved through the party slogan "vote ko izzat do" [give respect to vote].

Maryam said "vote ko izzat do" has always been Nawaz Sharif's narrative and that he was fighting for the nation's rights. "The parliamentarians present here are witness to the fact that the sanctity of the vote that has been violated." "The rigging of the [2018 general elections] had begun three months prior [...] the vote was not respected, and the requirement for bringing people into power was only that they obey orders," she said.

Maryam said that when such people come into power, then inflation surges, the law and order situation worsens, and the rights of the people

LAHORE