ISLAMABAD: PML-N president and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday demanded accountability for what he described as the “bigger criminals” — those who allegedly facilitated the rise of former prime minister Imran Khan and his party to power in 2018.
Speaking at a gathering of newly elected lawmakers, the former premier said accountability should not be limited to the PTI founder alone. “Imran Khan was not the only criminal; the ones who brought him to power were the bigger criminals, and they should be held fully accountable,” Nawaz declared, without naming individuals or institutions.
Nawaz, who has largely maintained a low political profile since the formation of the PML-N–PPP coalition government after the 2024 elections, used the occasion to revisit allegations of manipulation in the 2018 polls. He recalled that following the election of Imran Khan, then-opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif had questioned rejected votes and the discovery of ballot papers “on streets and in gutters”. In 2018, PTI emerged as the largest party with 115 National Assembly seats.
Criticising the PTI’s political messaging, the PML-N supremo said, “They used to call others robbers and dacoits while they were the bigger robbers.” He accused the previous government of fostering “chaos, anarchy and fights” and questioned whether a country could make progress under such conditions.
You May Also Like: Indian-Based X Accounts Behind Pro-Trump Posts, Raising Concerns Over Cross-Border Media Manipulation
Nawaz also compared Pakistan’s economic trajectory before and after 2018, claiming the PML-N government had maintained low inflation and steady growth prior to the transfer of power. He blamed political instability and policy disruption for economic decline in subsequent years.
Reflecting on the long-term impact of earlier political decisions, he pointed to the depreciation of the rupee, recalling that the Saudi riyal traded at Rs11 when Gen Pervez Musharraf assumed power in 1999, compared to around Rs78 today, as an audience member noted. He argued that Pakistan’s reliance on the International Monetary Fund had constrained its sovereignty. “Our personal decisions are in the hands of foreigners,” he said, lamenting the loss of economic independence.
The PML-N supremo added that Pakistan cannot make decisions independently due to its reliance on the International Monetary Fund.https://t.co/dR9XpovucU
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 26, 2025
Nawaz credited voters for supporting the PML-N on the basis of performance and endorsed the ongoing efforts of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to restore economic stability. He cited housing, healthcare, student scholarships, green bus services and what he described as improved social protection measures as indicators of progress. “People of all beliefs and religions are our brothers and sisters,” he added, calling for inclusive governance.
Check out our latest video:
