*LAHORE – CM Shahbaz Sharif was grilled in Supreme Court on Sunday when hetried to avoid the questions asked by the court and rather boasted aboutother achievements.*

* I have given my blood for the country, former Punjab CM Shehbaz Shariftold Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Sunday.*

The CJ headed the two-member bench that resumed hearing a suo motu casepertaining to corruption. He had summoned Mr Sharif to explain the salariesof government officials in Punjab’s public sector.

The CJ asked him during the hearing why public-sector officials were paidRs1 million when their salaries were Rs100,000. Mr Sharif responded that hehas also saved a lot of money in other heads. He said that he saved Rs160billion in different power projects. “The reason this courtroom is so coolis because of these power projects,” he said.

Mr Sharif said he has also saved Rs70 billion in water-related projects.The CJ said he was not asking him about those projects. Instead, he said,he was asking about the public-sector officials’ salaries alone. Mr Sharifresponded that the matter had nothing to do with him as the financedepartment had issued a notification regarding those salaries. He said hewas not being given due credit for saving Rs160 billion.

“I have given my blood for this country,” said Mr Sharif, adding that heshould be appreciated. He said he worked for the Punjab province for 10years and bore the expenses of the private jet he used.

The CJ said he was dissatisfied with Mr Sharif’s replies.