Waris Baig played role in breaking ice between Aleem Khan and PML-N

LONDON: Legendary pop singer Waris Baig played a role in facilitating contacts between PTI’s disgruntled leader Aleem Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, he has confirmed.

After meeting former prime minister Nawaz Sharif here, the singer was asked by media persons if it was true that he had facilitated the contact between the two sides. He replied that he had good relations with both sides and that he had some role to play in breaking the ice, however he didn’t elaborate.

It’s understood that Waris Baig facilitated initial meetings between Aleem Khan and two senior Punjab PML-N leaders and then Aleem Khan flew to London to meet Nawaz Sharif.

Waris Baig told the media that Nawaz Sharif played a key role in strengthening Pakistan’s defence by defying international pressure to carry out Pakistan’s atomic blasts in relation to India. The singer was accompanied by PML-N leader from Faisalabad Sheikh Muhammad Yousaf. Waris Baig recalled that Nawaz Sharif had taken him to the Chagai test site on May 28, 1998 where he had sung a patriotic song after Pakistan went nuclear.

“That is the biggest memory of life to have travelled with Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan’s nuclear scientists to the blast site. The kind of patriotism I witnessed then was an unreal experience and nothing of the sort have I experienced before or after. There is no doubt that Nawaz Sharif demonstrated extreme courage and bravery against the international pressure and threats and showed real leadership,” he said.

He said: “Pakistan today needs a new charter of democracy and economy where all stakeholders could come together to move forward. Politics aside, the common people of Pakistan are in a lot of pain today due to inflation and other issues related to the economy and bad governance.

The condition of Pakistan has worsened in the last few years and people miss Nawaz Sharif’s era when there was prosperity and progress,” the singer said.

Baig — a graduate of Government College Lahore — made his name with the release of his album “Music 89” and became an instant sensation.