Sanaullah rejects endorsement of Pirzada's call, says Shehbaz does not want to be PML-N chief

Says Punjab spokesperson should be more cautious giving policy statements in media

LAHORE: Punjab spokesperson Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan should be more cautious while giving policy statements in the media, said the province’s Law Minister, Rana Sanaullah, while terming “irresponsible” the spokesperson’s endorsement of Federal Minister Riaz Pirzada’s call for Nawaz Sharif to step aside.

Apparently the Punjab spokesperson endorsed the federal minister’s viewpoint that the best option for deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif is to hand over the party reins to Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif in order to avoid rifts within the PML-N.



“His [Malik] statements do not reflect PML-N Punjab’s policy in any way,” said the law minister. “Calling it a pragmatic demand can be Malik’s personal opinion. Everyone in our party can have a different opinion.”

He said Malik’s statements in the media as spokesperson for the provincial government should be in line with the party policy.

Sanaullah strongly rejected media reports of formation of any forward bloc within the PML-N. He said the party stood united behind the leadership of Nawaz, adding that Shehbaz himself did not want to become party chief.

He said that leaders from Punjab had complete faith in Nawaz’s leadership.

Regarding Pirzada’s suggestions, he said it was “his personal opinion, nothing more”.

Forward bloc

PML-N’s Shoukat Ali Laleka also dismissed media reports that he was forming a forward bloc within the party.

The MPA from Bhawalnagar said he only hosted a dinner in the honour of his uncle Raja Ishfaq Sarwar, who had returned after performing Hajj. Close to 40 MPAs, including senior party leaders, were invited, he added.

“Several political matters on national and provincial levels were discussed with no specific agenda or order,” he said, adding that if majority of the invited were politicians, politics was destined to be the hot topic.

He said, “There is no difference of opinion in the party and we all stand united behind our leadership.” Sanaullah confirmed that he too was invited to the party but could not attend it due to personal engagements.



“Projecting a rift within the party is an attempt to bring divide. Difference of opinion should not be taken as a divide in the party by any means,” he said.

He said the Punjab chief minister’s meeting with former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar was only two senior party leaders meeting to discuss party issues.

Despite repeated attempts, the Punjab spokesperson was not accessible for comments.