LONDON: Deposed premier Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday that his party’s success in NA-120 by-election went on to validate his stance.
“The public has endorsed my point of view by expressing their confidence in the party [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz] in the [NA-120] by-election,” he told reporters in London. “What I said at the GT Road rally is my principled stance,” he added.
Without elaborating further, Nawaz Sharif warned that the situation in the country could be heading towards a “strange” direction.
He said he had a principled stance over his disqualification and the people of Pakistan had stood by him. He branded that democratic forces like the PML-N were to suffer if reports of ‘religious parties being funded’ were true.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called on the former premier on his return from the United States after delivering an address at the United Nations General Assembly. He had called on Nawaz before leaving for the US as well. During the meeting, Nawaz told the PM that the success of their party (PML-N) in the recent NA-120 by-election was a victory of democracy. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Nawaz’s son Hussain Nawaz also attended the meeting. Sources said PM Abbasi and Nawaz discussed their party’s future course of action. They also discussed the victory of Kulsoom Nawaz in NA-120 by-election, a seat left vacant after the Supreme Court in its July 28 judgement had disqualified Nawaz.
Replying to the questions of the media in London following his meeting with Abbasi at his residence, Nawaz said he had directed PM Abbasi to personally probe the ‘disappearance’ of party workers who went missing ahead of NA-120 by-polls that were held on September 17. About his meeting with Abbasi, Nawaz said it was only a routine matter. “There will be more such meetings in the coming days,” he added. The former PM said his wife Kulsoom Nawaz, who is being treated for lymphoma in London, had undergone a third surgery and was recovering well.
Meanwhile, a high-level huddle chaired by Nawaz Sharif decided that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar would resign from his ministerial post and stay in London, a private news channel reported on Saturday.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar along with other party leaders.
Sources said that the finance minister who had a bailable arrest warrant issued against him by an accountability court would resign to avoid the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) proceedings against him.
Another news channel reported that CM Shehbaz Sharif might be appointed the prime minister of Pakistan. It also said that Kulsoom Nawaz would not return to Pakistan for six months due to her recent surgeries and treatment.
Published in Daily Times, September 24th 2017.
