System must be changed, dictators dominating judiciary: Maryam Nawaz

LAHORE: Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said on Friday that it is imperative that the system be changed in a country where dictators such as Pervez Musharraf have become more powerful than the judiciary.

Addressing members of the Christian community at St Anthony's Church in Lahore she said, "I have brought Nawaz's case in your court," reiterating that her father was disqualified only because he did not draw a salary from his son's company.

Talking about her father's GT Road rally following his disqualification, she said the public openly expressed that it did not accept Nawaz's disqualification through the support it lent to the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N).

"Come out of your houses on September 17 for Pakistan," she insisted. "Come out of your houses to support Nawaz, to support the sanctity of your vote, to support the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor."

"On one side is Nawaz Sharif who is fighting your war, and on the other side are those people who are asking Lahore for their vote but when they travel outside Lahore, they abuse Lahore and its progress," she said.

She insisted that nobody is willing to help the citizens of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who are suffering from the Dengue virus.

"People of KP are calling Shehbaz Sharif to help them, and not those who make tall claims," she said, lashing out at the province's ruling party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

She claimed that the entire Pakistani nation is standing with her father today. 

Referring to her ailing mother Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, Maryam said her mother was recovering well thanks to the nation's prayers.

"I was educated at the Convent of Jesus and Mary for eleven years, and I have no qualms in saying that the Convent of Jesus and Mary has played a huge part in where I stand today in life," Maryam said.

She also expressed pride at the appointment of the first Christian finance minister and said she was "personally very happy" at the angel of Pakistan's Chrisitan community — Dr Ruth Pfao — being honoured with a state funeral.  

She ended her address by saying she is taking with her beautiful memories from the church which will remain with her for life.