Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday lamented being called an “establishment man”, saying he only met top army leaders for the betterment of the country and not for personal gain.
“I was called an establishment man, but I didn’t care about the taunts […] I never met the army chief for personal reasons; the only purpose behind these meetings was to bring the establishment and the governments together. Take the country forward.”
The Prime Minister expressed these views after inaugurating the newly constructed Bahara Kaho Bypass project in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said that during his 38 years in politics, he has met several army chiefs to ensure that “the government in Islamabad and the establishment in Rawalpindi are on the same page”.
“I have met many eminent army chiefs during my time in politics […] but the only idea behind it was to take Pakistan to the level for which hundreds of Muslims sacrificed their lives.”
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that there are reports that he is very close to former President General (retd) Pervez Musharraf.
But what did I get? Nawaz Sharif was put in jail and so was I. He got stuck and so did I. He went to Landhi Jail and so did I. If Nawaz Sharif was exiled, so would I. My family was deported.”
“But what did I get? Nothing. I had only one thought in my mind to […] work for the underprivileged,” the prime minister lamented the state in which people were living.
He also appreciated the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir for his dedicated support for the Bihara Kahu Bypass project.
