Defectors can only serve themselves, not the nation: PM Abbasi

SHEIKHUPURA: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that those defecting from parties can only serve themselves, not the nation.

“Those who are not loyal to the party cannot be loyal to the country either,” the premier observed while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a gas project in Sheikhupura.

“The people who have defected from Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) will be rejected by the nation,” he said, adding that those who had jumped ship would have to pay a price in the upcoming elections.

“Those who cannot respect others cannot respect the vote either,” the premier said.

Abbasi noted that those who had leveled [false] accusations and continued to use abusive terms did not represent Pakistan’s politics.

In a jibe at political rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the prime minister said milestones outlined in the former’s 100-day plan had already been achieved by his party, PML-N.

“Those who have not succeeded in 1,500 days [of being elected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa] have presented the 100-day plan today,” said Abbasi. “There is a clear difference between ideologies of political parties. What they [PTI] are promising to do now has already been done by PML-N.”

Abbasi claimed that only the ruling party could turn the country into an economic power, adding that the next elected prime minister and chief minister [of Punjab] will belong to PML-N.

“No one has implemented development projects in Sheikhupura except for PML-N,” he said, adding that the government should decide in the elections on the basis of how the party has served the people.