ISLAMABAD: Veteran politician Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday regretted Nawaz Sharif’s statements regarding role of ‘aliens’ in the country’s politics, saying that it may give raise to another ‘Newsleaks’.
“What message is going to the world with such statements,” he said while addressing a news conference here. 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 left the party nor he had any ambition or intention to leave.
“I am thankful to Imran Khan and other PTI leaders for offering me to join their party,” he said, maintaining that he would attend every meeting to which he will be invited. The PML-N leader said he had taken political burden of the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif for the last 34 years, but was never amongst those who used to put in order shoes of their leaders to please them.
Chaudhry Nisar 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 party offices,” he said, adding that he had been with Nawaz Sharif for the last 34 years, and during this period 70 percent politicians joined the PML-N while leaving other parties.
Nisar said that today a person who gave all his political life to a party is giving explanations. He said it is responsibility of the party to take his decision to whatever direction they want.
The PML-N leader said Nawaz and his daughter Maryam Nawaz had 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 party leadership was in difficulties, had also opened 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 the fact that I belong to an army family,” he said.
Nisar maintained that difference of opinion never means that he had any bad intentions or personal interests, but he never belong to any independent group and also did not take orders from anywhere. He also regretted that Nawaz Sharif is now saying that he now he has turned ideological and had no ideology before.
“He should also explain the ideology whether it is ideology on which Pakistan came into being or ideology of Mehmood Khan Achakzai,” he said, maintaining that the PML-N was party of the right wing.
Nisar said that on different occasions he had warned that Pakistan was passing through difficult times of its history and circle was squeezed around the country and Nawaz Sharif was responsible to mend the issue. “The whole nation will stand behind him if he takes decision in interest of the nation and the country coming out of crowd of ‘Khush Amadis’ (flatterers),” he said.
Nisar also regretted Nawaz Sharif’s statements regarding role of aliens in country’s politics because the PML-N is in the government. “What message is going to the world with such statements,” he questioned, adding that army as an institution does nothing; all decisions are taken by the military leadership and it was also not hidden that the military establishment had direct or indirect role in politics.
He said that he was also disappointed with role of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as prime minister, arguing that he should have called the army chief and DG ISI and issues should have been discussed in camera. “The prime minister could also have called meeting of the National Security Committee to address the issue,” he said.
He said if he wanted to leave the PML-N, a group of 40 to 50 MNAs was with him and he could have done it very easily and quietly. “But I neither played nor hatched conspiracies,” he said, maintaining that he would stay in the PML-N but not in the party where there is ban on freedom of expression.
Nisar said he was among few party leaders who suggested Nawaz Sharif that he should not go to the Supreme Court but his stance was given no weight. He said he also asked Nawaz Sharif not to deliver speech (on floor of the National Assembly) but his suggestions were ignored. “I will not tell 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 SC verdict, he met Nawaz Sharif and asked him that now he (Nawaz) should take such measures which can 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 lower his tone against the army and judiciary and should not say that five PCO judges have given decision and who is acting behind the scene. “Neither there is any SC case pending against me nor I want to get any medal from army,” he said questioning as to who advised the PML-N leadership to go to the Supreme Court, request for formation of the commission and accept the JIT formation.
He also referred to some misreporting in section of press about his meetings with Shahbaz Sharif, saying that since his last meeting with Nawaz Sharif, neither he (Nisar) requested for any meeting nor Nawaz Sharif called him.