Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif lambasts PM Imran Khan; affirms 'he is called a puppet in India'

In yet another scathing attack on incumbent Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, ex-Pakistani premier Nawaz Sharif said on Friday that the cricketer-turned-politician Khan is called a "puppet" leader in India, as he was installed by the powerful military in 2018.

At a virtual Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) general meeting held in Lahore on December 24, Sharif, who is currently undergoing treatment for a heart condition in London, said: "In India, Imran Khan is called a 'puppet' and in the United States it is said that he (Imran) has powers even less than that of a mayor," PTI reported. 

Sharif continued his dig against the Pakistani leader, saying that this image was because "the world knows how he [Imran Khan] has been brought to power. Imran has not come into power by the votes of the people but with help of (the) military establishment," the three-time former Pakistani premier stressed.

Sharif, 71, who was convicted for two corruption cases in Pakistan, has been living in London since November 2019. A Lahore High Court had granted him permission to go abroad to get treatment for his heart ailment.

Sharif calls Imran Khan 'Nalayak, Anari'

Similarly, Sharif had labelled Pak's PM Imran Khan earlier as 'nalayak' (worthless), as he accused his centrist populist Tehreek-e-Insaf party of stealing the mandate in 2018 general elections, as a result of which, he said, Pakistanis have been suffering from "inflation, poverty, and unemployment". 

Addressing the Pakistani citizens in a video broadcast, Sharif sarcastically mocked Khan for taking the country "on the path of development," as he asked, "Do you know how our government had brought out Pakistan from darkness?" 

"Some people stole the 2018 election and took the country away from the path of happiness and success. Later they converted one 'nalayak' (worthless), 'na ahal' (ineligible), and 'anaari' (unskilled) fellow's defeat into victory and let him govern the country," former Pak PM Nawaz Sharif had said condemning Pakistan PM Imran Khan.

He accused the sitting Pakistan PM for people’s suffering. He then asked the citizens to “teach them [Imran Khan government] a lesson."