MANSEHRA, March 25: In what political observers term a tit-for-tat to Imran Khan’s huge rally in Lahore, PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif launched his election campaign from here on Monday with what possibly is the largest public meeting held here in recent years.

According to the meeting, Nawaz Sharif spelt out his party’s economic and social development plans for the future and said if voted to power, he would end the crises, including terrorism, faced by Pakistan.

“It is unfortunate that I came to power twice, but got only two years in each term, but even during the short periods I put the country on the road to economic and social prosperity and made the country a nuclear power,” Mr Sharif said.

In his 40-minute speech, Mr Sharif spoke about his economic and social achievements and future development plans and also criticized retired general Pervez Musharraf and President Asif Ali Zardari.

“Ask Zardari what he has given to the country during his tenure, except corruption, prolonged power outages, terrorism and economic mess.”

He said Pervez Musharraf who plunged the country into darkness had returned to deceive people, not realizing that they (the people) would not let him deceive them again.

The PML-N chief said he would not only pull the country out of the crisis but also take steps to meet the country’s electricity needs for 50 years.

He said Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road had been built during his tenure and if people voted him to power again he would extend this strategically important road to Gilgit and then to China which would not only transform the life of common men but also strengthen the Pak-China friendship.

The PML-N chief said his party would launch housing schemes for poor people and also introduce metro-bus services in Mansehra and other cities and towns.

He said he wanted to provide modern health and education services to the people across the country.

“Vote for me to transform the life of the common man and reject the jugglers who come to the country for some time and pretend to be the savior of the country and its people,” said Mr Sharif.

He claimed that his party would give Hazara the status of a province and establish an airport in Mansehra.

PML-N leaders Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, Pir Sabir Shah, Salah Mohammad Khan, retired general Salahuddeen Tirmazi and Sardar Yousuf also spoke on the occasion.