close
Thursday March 28, 2024

Following Panama verdict: Nawaz should tell who advised him to fly to Lahore, says Nisar

By Monitoring Desk
February 15, 2018

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Chaudhry Nisar on Wednesday asked Nawaz Sharif to tell who suggested him to go to Lahore by air instead of leading a rally through the G T Road after his disqualification by the apex court in the Panama Papers case.

Spokesman for Ch Nisar Ali Khan issued a clarification against “accusations” hurled by party leaders in a meeting held a day before, a Geo TV reported. A statement said that the decision that the rally by party chief Nawaz Sharif in August last year should be taken through the motorway was taken in a meeting attended by party leaders, including Nawaz.

The statement came after Nawaz Sharif in an apparent jibe at Nisar, who has publicly expressed reservations over various party policies, said that “certain people had advised me against taking out the rally through GT Road.”

“Where are those people now,” asked Nawaz from a gathering of party leaders and workers. PML-N leader Talal Chaudhry, meanwhile, told Nawaz that taking out the rally through GT Road was a “turning point” [for the party].

“An individual had even asked me to catch a plane to Lahore from Islamabad to attend the rally, Nawaz said. Nisar, in the statement, refuted the claims and said a party meeting held in Murree had suggested Nawaz to take the motorway route due to security concerns.

Nawaz had also asked Nisar to convince Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on the same, Nisar said. The decision was changed later on, Nisar claimed. About the suggestion that Nawaz should take a plane, Nisar said that he had no clue as to who gave the suggestion and that at least no one in the meeting did so. Nawaz should point out who gave the suggestion, Nisar added.

Nisar, who was the former interior minister, refused to be part of the new cabinet formed after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif by Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case. Prior to that he had criticised the government’s handling of the DawnLeaks. Nisar also recently said that he would not be willing to work under Nawaz’ children.