–Former interior minister announces to contest independently on four seats: NA-63 Taxila, Rawalpindi’s NA-59, PP-12 and PP-10
Only one day after submitting his nomination papers for two National Assembly and two Punjab Assembly seats as an independent candidate, former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan warned Nawaz Sharif on Monday that if he opened his mouth then the Sharif family would not be able to face the public.
Nisar filed the nomination papers through his aide Sheikh Aslam with the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) Rawalpindi office for NA-59 Rawalpindi, NA-63 Taxila and Punjab Assembly’s PP-10 and PP-12.
Speaking at a corner meeting at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Road, the estranged Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader said, “These Sharifs will not be able to face the public if I break my silence.”
He announced to part ways with the front by not appearing at the parliamentary board meeting regarding the 2018 general elections. He said that he has decided not to contest the elections from the platform of Nawaz Sharif-led party, adding that he will only contest as an independent candidate during 2018 elections.
“I will contest the elections under independent capacity. If there are ten faults in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), then there are over hundred in PML-N”, he stated.
Nisar also took a hit at Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Nawaz Sharif. Referring to Nawaz’s rivalry with late PPP leader Benazir Bhutto, Nisar indirectly mentioned that “[a man who was] once an opponent of matriarchy has handed over the reins of the entire party to his daughter”.
“[Whenever I want to break silence], the 34-year-old association with PML-N and Nawaz Sharif comes into my mind”, he asserted.
Keeping verbal onslaught at its peak, he regretted that the party had awarded tickets to ‘political orphans’. He admitted that now he has to struggle even more than usual as an independent candidate.
After several questions floated by journalists whether he was busy meeting people related to PML-N’s rivals, he responded that he was sick during the last week, adding that he met people of his native area. “I did not indulge in any political activity,” he made it clear.
Concluding his talk, Nisar warned that he will break his silence upon recovery of his health.
Earlier on Sunday, the former interior minister alleged that a ‘comical drama’ was being staged by PML-N leadership to not issue him party tickets for the forthcoming polls. On the other hand, the party’s quaid Nawaz Sharif and ex-Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif were reported to be at loggerheads regarding issuing a party ticket to Nisar.
“Nawaz is adamant to not issue a ticket to former interior minister Nisar,” sources within the PML-N said. “He has recommended that if Nisar does not ask the party to issue him a ticket, then he should not be given one.”
