Ministers, PM’s adviser say...: Maryam made backdoor contacts for going to London

ISLAMABAD: Two federal ministers and an advisor to prime minister claimed on Tuesday that Pakistan Muslim League-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz had made backdoor contact with the government for leaving for London.

However, they said her requested in this regard was rejected outright by Prime Minister Imran Khan. Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry Tuesday said Maryam Nawaz wanted to go to London, for which she had made backdoor contacts with the government.

In a tweet, he said Prime Minister Imran Khan had rejected her [Maryam] request outright. He said the PML-N vice president should fulfil her desire to run an anti-government movement; and for that she would have to stay in the country.

According to another private channel report, Fawad Ch said “Maryam Nawaz seeks to go to London for which some backdoor negotiations have taken place”. However, he added, Prime Minister Imran Khan declined outright the application, put forward by her [Maryam].

Separately, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said Maryam Nawaz had conceded that the future of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was bleak and she also hinted at going abroad.

In a chat with the media here Tuesday, he said that he did not understand why they (Sharifs) suffer from such diseases which were not curable in Pakistan, as she (Maryam) claims she would have to go abroad for a surgery that was not possible in the country.

He said Maryam Nawaz was paving the way for herself to go abroad with such messages, adding that the government would definitely not allow her to go abroad. He contended that the courts might decide about her going abroad.

The minister pointed out that Nawaz Sharif left for London for treatment and started politics there. He said that instead of renewing his expired passport, travel documents could be issued to Nawaz so that he could return home. “Well, how can we help a person wanted by the law by giving him a passport. It is not possible for us to become facilitators and help Nawaz go somewhere else,” he added.

To a question, the minister said that Imran Khan had always been of the view that Senate elections should be transparent and a meeting of the government spokespersons was held under the chairmanship of the PM in which a media strategy related to Senate elections was discussed.

He said the past governments promoted a culture of money in politics. “We have a clear position that we have eliminated the politics of money and promoted meritocracy,” he added. Regarding the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidates for the Senate polls, the minister said that the final list of candidates for the Senate elections would be completed by evening.

In another tweet, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said on Tuesday those who oppose open ballot elections in Senate, in fact, wanted continuation of the corrupt system, against which Imran Khan had waged a war.

He said, "We are standing at an important turning point of our parliamentary history, where we have to decide whether our public representatives will come in the Parliament due to their ability and merit or through buying and selling of votes.” Elsewhere, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said on Tuesday Maryam Nawaz had submitted an application to the government that “she will have to undergo a ‘small’ surgery and for the purpose she will have to go abroad”. She said “her surgery was not possible in the country which has been ruled by her father [Nawaz Sharif] and her uncle [Shahbaz Sharif] for over 35 years”.

Gill said by talking of a ‘small’ surgery, Maryam had requested for a permission to flee the country. But, he added, they [Sharifs] had been told time and again that Imran Khan would not give them any NRO [deal], no matter they need a minor or major surgery abroad.