En masse defections: PML-N faces candidate drought in S Punjab, says Hashmi

Says Chaudhry Nisar was responsible for the military takeover in the country in 1999. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE

“The door of the coop of PML-N has opened and its birds have started to fly away,” Hashmi told a news conference at his residence.

The PML-N would not be able to field a candidate in the 12 districts of southern Punjab in the upcoming elections, he said.

According to him, the PML-N has been hijacked by people who had fled the country during martial law.

“Our children were in jails and their children were touring foreign countries,” Hashmi fumed.

The PTI leader accused PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif of being a puppet in the hands of Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.

Hashmi said that Chaudhry Nisar was responsible for the military take over in the country in 1999 while he was a fierce opponent of nuclear tests.

He questioned where Nisar had been for around two years. He said that Nisar is one of eight people along with Khawaja Asif, Ishaq Dar and Pervez Rashid had sought pardon from the military regime.

Hashmi challenged Nisar to answer his questions face to face. According to PTI president, Nisar was responsible for confrontation between former army chief Pervez Musharraf and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Criticising the PML-N leader, Hashmi told journalists he opposed the country’s atomic tests in 1998 and was hitting out at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to earn some space for himself.

Coming down upon PML-N chief, Hashmi questioned why Nawaz Sharif was silent over 11 questions raised by the PTI chief. “Nisar should appraise the nation about his assets and dual nationality if has the guts,” he said.

Striking down his dream of ruling the country after Zardari, Javed Hashmi marked that PML-N is scattering as people have started quitting the party. He warned Chaudhry Nisar that his party would not find even suitable candidature in Southern Punjab in the upcoming general elections.

Answering a question, Hashmi said that PML-N had tried at least six times to curtail the powers of the judiciary when in power.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2012.