LAHORE: Lamenting his ouster from power once again, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Monday said that if his government had been allowed to continue in the 1990s, Pakistan would have been far ahead today in terms of development and progress.

He was talking to party MPAs from Lahore Division who called on him and Punjab ChiefMinister Maryam Nawaz.

However, the threetime premier expressed optimism that the country would take off once again as his brother, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was working hard to change its destiny. `After a long time, happiness and satisfaction are clearly visible among the people of Lahore and Punjab,` he claimed.

He said God had given PML-N yet another opportunity to serve the public.

`Our journey to serve the masses will continue unabated,` he stated, holding outthe assurance thatthe government would put the countryonthepathofprogress and prosperity at aswift pace.

Nawaz Sharif said the country was saved from getting derailed and falling into a pit. `I have seen many ups and downs in my life. However, whenever PML-N comes to power, our country makes rapid progress,` he pointed out.

He said there were signs of economic improvement as the country was moving in the right direction.

The lawmakers spoke about the problems they were facing in their constituencies. Monday`s was the third meeting the father and the daughter held with PML-N lawmakers from different divisions of the province during the past week.