–PPP to expose ‘PTI-PML-N nexus’ if former premier allowed to travel abroad for treatment
ISLAMABAD: With speculations about former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s bid to leave abroad for medical treatment making rounds, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is contemplating a strategy to deal and benefit from the situation in political terms, Pakistan Today has learnt.
“The PPP leadership is closely monitoring the developments and we, so far, have agreed that if Nawaz leaves the country for treatment, we would expose the deep nexus between the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N),” sources in PPP said.
“We will tell the people of Pakistan that PTI and PML-N are actually protecting each other from accountability as both have corrupt leaders who are amassing wealth,” they added.
Sources said that the rumours regarding Nawaz’s departure besides certain other developments suggest that a “deal is being discussed somewhere” and it may lead to putting Nawaz off the hook. “PPP would not oppose Nawaz’s bid to leave but will play his departure as a deal between the government and the Sharif family.”
When contacted, PPP Secretary-General Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said that his party had nothing to do with Nawaz’s departure. “We are closely watching the developments and can call it a deal if the federal government provides any relaxation to Nawaz. We will welcome any such decision by the federal government nonetheless.”
However, he added, if the court granted Sharif bail and allowed him to fly abroad, “PPP could cast aspersions on the court verdict”. Bukhari further said that the PPP would chalk out its own strategy once things are crystal clear.
“We have to evaluate if the matter is resolved out of court and there are two possibilities for that. If there is an executive decision to allow Nawaz to leave abroad for treatment, we can call it a deal. The second probable thing is if the prosecutor shows leniency in response to his bail plea. But if the court examines the situation and allows Nawaz to leave abroad, we can’t call it a deal,” he added.
Another senior PPP leader Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed looked convinced that a deal was being discussed between the PTI government and the Sharif family.
“I think another NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance] is being discussed. The federal government is providing relaxation to Nawaz and things are moving according to the plan. But the PPP is not a party to it. If Nawaz gets the deal, he will once again prove to be lucky. But we don’t have any problem if he gets it and leaves the country for treatment. Rather, we will welcome it,” he concluded.
