I will not resign : Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif

Lahore : Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Thursday rejected demand of the opposition and categorically said he would not resign from his office.

The Prime Minister made the announcement while chairing a meeting of the Federal Cabinet here at the PM Office, which received a loud applause from his Cabinet colleagues who thumped desk on the announcement of the Prime Minister not to tender his resignation.

The Prime Minister said the Joint Investigation Team has submitted a report full of accusations and conjecture. “Our family has gained nothing from the politics, rather it has lost a lot,” he said.

The Opposition has been seeking resignation of the Prime Minister following submission of a report at the end of a 60- day probe into accusations of money laundering and concealment of wealth, on the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif asked his colleagues; should he resign on the demand of anti-democracy forces. “I have no burden on my conscience, by the grace of God,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz got an overall lead in votes over those who were seeking his resignation. He said his government was in the process of setting up mega projects worth billions of rupees where no corruption has been proved.

He said his government has accomplished in four years which could not be done in past two decades. “We will not let an era of darkness return to our industries and villages,” he added.

The Prime Minister said he was not involved in corruption of even a penny in past 32 years, since 1985. He said the JIT did not even question him about any such corruption. “All these secrets would see the light of the day on appropriate time,” he said and added that time was not far.

“We will not let the pace of progress and development derail,” the Prime Minister vowed. He said Pakistan has paid a heavy price for such antics in the past and now this trend should end.