NAB proceedings conducted to push PML-N against the wall: Shehbaz Sharif

 Peshawar [Pakistan]: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif on Friday claimed the proceedings of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) are being done to push the party in an extremely bad situation ahead of the general elections.

Addressing a press conference here, Shehbaz alleged that many of PML-N candidates were being pressurised and forced to join other political parties.
Asserting that the caretaker Punjab government is standing by the side of Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Shehbaz is quoted by Geo TV as saying, "Punjab's interim government is dancing to the tunes of PTI, while the Election Commission of Pakistan continues to be a quiet bystander."

Taking a jibe at Khan, he added, "Imran neither established schools or colleges nor forensic labs. A private hospital [Rehman Institute] was established in Peshawar and a picture of it was circulated [by Imran] to take credit. Now, is that not a lie? How will the country absorb this fraud? Nobody attended Imran Khan's rally in Lahore yesterday."

Shehbaz underscored that scores of people thronged the PML-N rally in large numbers at Attock despite a heavy downpour.

Continuing his tirade against the PTI, he alleged that the party completely destroyed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the report.

Shehbaz expressed optimism that the PML-N would win the elections if it takes place in a free and fair way.

Earlier on Thursday, the PML-N had unveiled a comprehensive Anti-Rigging System (ARS) in a bid to prevent rigging and expose such cases during the upcoming general elections.

Addressing a press conference consisting of election agents, social media activists and civil society organisations at their party headquarters here, Senator Mushahid Hussain was quoted by Pakistan Today as saying, "Any rigging attempt will be resisted and reported to the Election Commission, the Election observers, and the media immediately."

He had added that the new ARS would help to coordinate between PML-N candidates and their respective constituencies spread across Pakistan.
The political scene in Pakistan is heating up in the run-up to the elections, slated to be held on July 25.