Lahore, Feb 17 (PTI) Pakistan's three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif set his gun against former premier Imran Khan on Monday, saying the jailed politician is responsible for economic woes and other ills prevailing in the country.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz, whose younger brother Shehbaz Sharif and daughter Maryam Nawaz are running governments in the Centre and Punjab province under the umbrella of the powerful military, is currently keeping a low profile.

He recently met PML-N legislators from Punjab to listen to issues in their constituencies and blamed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party supremo Imran Khan, who has been in jail in multiple cases since August 2023, for Pakistan's economic woes.

"The economy and national values were destroyed and democracy was stabbed in the back by a person (Imran Khan)," Nawaz told PML-N lawmakers.

He said Khan had shaken the country's foundation after coming to power in 2018.

The PML-N supremo also held Khan, 72, responsible for bringing in "indecency and hostility in politics and destroying the national values.

"Corruption, economic downfall, and inflation are the so-called 'gifts' of the PTI government," he said.

Recalling his last tenure (2013-17), Nawaz said Pakistan was progressing but it was derailed. He, however, did not blame the military establishment for ousting him from power in 2017.

Nawaz said Pakistan narrowly escaped default and credited his brother Shehbaz for economic stability in the debt-ridden country.

"Our vision is to put Pakistan on the path of progress and free the people from inflation," Nawaz said. PTI MZ PY PY PY

Political responsibility attributed to a former premier for economic decline and erosion of democratic norms in governance. Nawaz Sharif attributes Pakistan's economic decline, political indecency, and erosion of democratic values to Imran Khan's tenure and conduct, characterising the PTI period as responsible for corruption, inflation, and damage to national foundations, while crediting subsequent government actions with averting default and restoring relative economic stability.