ISLAMABAD: Expressing frustration over Nawaz Sharif’s statements regarding the role of ‘aliens’ in the country’s politics, the veteran politician Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday said that it may give rise to another ‘Newsleaks’.
While addressing a news conference here, Nisar said “what message is going to the world with such statements,” he questioned, adding the army as an institution does nothing; all decisions are taken by the military leadership and it is also no more a secret that the military establishment has a direct or indirect role in politics.
The former interior minister said he is also disappointed with the role of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister, arguing he should have called the army chief and the DG ISI and discuss the issues with them in camera. “The prime minister could also have called a meeting of the National Security Committee to address the issue,” he said.
On the occasion, Nisar buried all the speculations to quit the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) while politely turning down Imran Khan’s offer to join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Chaudhry Nisar, one of the founding leaders of the PML-N, said neither he has left the party nor he has any intention to do so. “I am thankful to Imran Khan and other PTI leaders for offering me to join their party,” he said, maintaining he would attend every meeting to which he will be invited. The PML-N leader said he had shared the political burden of the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif for the last 34 years but was never amongst those who would put the shoes of their leaders in order to please them Nisar said if he had wanted to leave the PML-N, a group of 40 to 50 MNAs is with him and he could have done it very easily and quietly. “But I neither played nor hatched any conspiracies,” he said, maintaining he would stay in the PML-N but not in the party where there is a ban on expression.
He told journalists that he wanted to tell the PML-N leaders and workers that he was not angry with the party, nor he had any demands. “I never demanded any portfolio in the past, and also refused offers to hold the party offices,” he said, adding he had been with Nawaz Sharif since long and during this period 70 percent politicians joined the PML-N, while leaving other parties. Nisar said it is a sad occasion that today a person who devoted all his life to a party has to give explanations.
The PML-N leader said Nawaz and his daughter Maryam Nawaz have taunted him in their speeches. Without naming Pervaiz Rashid, he said a personal servant of Nawaz Sharif, who never contested any elections and took political asylum in England when the party leadership was in difficulties, had also opened a front against him. “I wanted to tell Nawaz Sharif that I have been loyal to the party and always supported him whenever it comes to civil-military relations, despite belonging to an army family,” he said. Nisar maintained that the difference of opinion never means bad intentions, besides he never sided with any independent group or took orders from anywhere.
Regretting Nawaz Sharif's statement of turning ideological and saying he had no ideology before, Nisar said should also explain if it is the ideology of Pakistan or the ideology of Mehmood Khan Achakzai,” he said, maintaining the PML-N is a right wing party. Nisar said on different occasions he had warned that Pakistan is passing through turbulent times and it was the responsibility of Nawaz Sharif to strategise accordingly “The whole nation will stand behind him if he takes a decision in the interest of the nation and the country by getting away from the crowd of those who flatter,” he said.
Nisar said he was among few party leaders who suggested to Nawaz Sharif that he should not go to the Supreme Court but his stance was given no consideration. He said he also asked Nawaz Sharif not to deliver a speech (on the floor of the National Assembly) but his suggestions were ignored. “I will not tell the reason for these suggestions because it can harm the party,” he said. “We ourselves are responsible for the July 28 verdict of the Supreme Court,” he said.
He told newsmen that following the Supreme Court verdict, he met Nawaz Sharif and asked him that now he (Nawaz) should take measures to strengthen the party. “I also told him that we should not close all the doors and it is the Supreme Court which can set aside its verdict,” he said.
Nisar said he also advised Nawaz Sharif to moderate his tone against the army and judiciary and should not say that the five PCO judges have given a decision and who is acting behind the scenes. “Neither is there a case pending against him in the Supreme Court nor I want any medal from the army,” he said questioning as to who advised the PML-N leadership to go to the Supreme Court and request the formation of the commission and accept the JIT formation. He also referred to some misreporting in a section of press about his meetings with Shahbaz Sharif, saying since his last meeting with Nawaz Sharif, neither he (Nisar) requested for any meeting nor Nawaz Sharif called him.
