Nisar says won’t expose Nawaz, Maryam due to Kulsoom’s health

• Former interior minister terms Nawaz ‘ineligible’ to head party
• PTI to field Ghulam Sarwar against Nisar in upcoming polls

ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister and disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan on Monday said that he wanted to bring to fore the role of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam but now was not the time due to Begum Kulsoom’s critical illness.

Addressing a corner meeting in Rawalpindi, the estranged PML-N leader said that he wanted to open up about PML-N and Nawaz Sharif about what has been happening in the past few months and the role of Nawaz and Maryam, but now was not the time due to Begum Kulsoom’s ill health.

Nisar, who remained as interior minister in the last government before falling out with Nawaz, said he has carried the burden of Nawaz for the past 34 years. “Nawaz and his family are indebted to me. I do not owe them anything,” he said.

He took a jibe at the deposed supremo Sharif’s ‘lack of political sense, understanding’ and deemed him ‘ineligible’ of serving as party head.

The former minister recalled that at the time the PML-N was formed, there were only 15 or 20 party members. “Nawaz was not very senior or eligible,” he said, adding that one of the members had to be made the leader and it was decided that Nawaz would lead the party.

“None of those 15, 20 members are part of PML-N now. Nawaz either left them, or they left the party.”

The former interior minister said that it was possible that he may part ways with Nawaz, adding that he has never compromised on his principles, nor has he ever sold his conscience.

“I am answerable to Allah, the public and Nawaz,” he said. “My opponents should know that I am not alone.”

PTI WON’T LEAVE FIELD OPEN FOR NISAR:

On the other hand, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has ruled out the possibility of leaving the field open for Chaudhry Nisar in the upcoming polls.

PTI Information Secretary Fawad Chaudhry told a media outfit that they have already fielded party’s vice-president Ghulam Sarwar Khan against Chaudhry Nisar in three out of the four constituencies he is contesting.

Chaudhry further ruled out the possibility of a seat adjustment with Nisar saying that the former minister had never been a part of the PTI and he had already announced that he would contest the election as an independent candidate.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the past had invited Nisar to join the party on a number of occasions, but he never accepted or responded to his invitation.

Ghulam Sarwar said he had told Imran Khan that he can withdraw from the election race only if Nisar applies for the PTI ticket. Otherwise, Sarwar said he had told the PTI chief that he would file papers in every constituency from where Nisar files the nominations.

Ghulam Sarwar Khan, who defeated Chaudhry Nisar from Taxila constituency in the 2013 elections, said his party would “clean bowl” Nisar in the July 25 elections.

Nisar has submitted nomination papers as an independent candidate in four constituencies — two for NA and two for Punjab Assembly.