Newly 'elected' Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif rakes up Kashmir in maiden speech

Shortly after being elected as Pakistan's prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif raised the Kashmir issue in his maiden address at the parliament on Sunday.

Equating the Kashmir issue with Palestine, the 72-year-old PM-designate urged the National Assembly to pass a resolution for what he called the freedom of Kashmiris and Palestinians.

"Let’s all come together […] and the National Assembly should pass a resolution for the freedom of Kashmiris and Palestinians,” he said, according to Dawn newspaper.

He also addressed the economic crisis plaguing Pakistan and expressed his desire for Pakistan to secure membership of G20 by 2030. Moreover, he also pledged to improve ties with all countries, including neighbours.

"We will keep ties with neighbours on the basis of equality,” Shehbaz said.

Talking about the economic crisis, Shehbaz said that even the expenditures of the National Assembly were being paid by borrowed money.

“But if we decide to do a deep surgery and bring changes in the system, basic reform…I have no doubt…we can either get rid of a life of debt or we move forward with heads down in shame,” said the PM-designate.

“No this will not happen, we will rise and we will make Pakistan self-sufficient,” he said amid slogans and chants being raised by the PTI-backed lawmakers.

On the government’s plan to stimulate business activities, he said that the government would abolish draconian and obsolete laws and regulations and would work with the provincial governments to establish a comprehensive network of export zones.

He said the country was facing challenges primarily due to the fragile economy. He said that he was starting his tenure when the country was facing a budgetary deficit of more than one trillion rupees.

“How we will pay the salaries for armed forces and how to pay the civil servants,” he wondered and added that reforming the economy was the biggest challenge faced by the country.

Shehbaz highlighted the burden of debt paying and said that the country was required to pay billions of rupees in interest only.

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