Nawaz was betrayed upon his return: Aitzaz

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan Saturday accused Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif and other senior leaders of betraying party supremo Nawaz Sharif upon his return to the country.

The PPP senior leader, in his statement, said that he had not seen such a betrayal in entire political history.

"I haven't seen such a betrayal in entire political history. Nawaz faced what happened with Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah in the Battle of Plassey in 1757," he said. "All the [PML-N] gave up despite the fact that [Nawaz's] flight was delayed by more than two hours." The former premier and his daughter, who were convicted in the Avenfield Apartments reference, were arrested Friday night upon their arrival in Lahore and were subsequently taken to Islamabad in a chartered flight.

Aizaz said that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Saad Rafique, Khawaja Asif and Rana Sanaullah left Nawaz all alone.

"They should have reached the police cordons at any cost, at least to shake hands with the former premier," he said, adding that their supporters would have been resisting the security buffer [around the Lahore airport], but they did not reach there. "This was a well thought out conspiracy against Nawaz Sharif and Maryam," the PPP leader said, adding that all the PML-N leaders kept themselves away from [the airport]. He taunted the PML-N leaders for putting up such a poor show despite making lofty claims earlier.