PML-N leader stirs ‘deal’ controversy

Ex-minister Rana Mashood’s claim of ‘an understanding struck with establishment’ is quickly refuted by own...

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday moved to quell rumours of rapprochement with the powers that be after one of its leaders claimed that his party would take over Punjab in two months.

Former Punjab minister Rana Mashhood stirred a controversy by suggesting that PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif had struck an understanding with the establishment, suggesting that his efforts did much to ameliorate the situation for the party.

"The party that won the election was being considered as a horse turned out to be a mule," he said while giving an interview to a private TV channel.

"It is now strongly felt that Shehbaz Sharif would have been a better choice. If he had been prime minister, he would have handled things much better," he said.

The minister backtracked on his statement of a deal with the establishment. The PML-N not only distanced itself from the contents of the interview but also strongly rejected any talk of a deal.

The reports of a deal between Nawaz Sharif and the establishment after an accountability court accepted the bail application of the deposed prime minister and his daughter Maryam Nawaz provided credence to the interview.

Mashhood said that Shehbaz had always been acceptable to the establishment because he talked about harmony between state institutions

The former minister said an agreement of sort had been reached between the two sides (the PML-N and the establishment) all institutions would work in their domain.

When he was asked that Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan had talked about tensions between the civilian government and the military, he said, “Things have greatly improved as they [the establishment] have realised that they are banking on wrong people.”

When asked why Shehbaz Sharif did not strike a deal earlier to save Nawaz Sharif and Maryam from going to jail, the PML-N leader said there was a web of lies constructed to malign the Sharif family.

He said Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz’s narrative would not change, as they speak about betterment of the country -- not for themselves.

Reacting to Mashhood's statements, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor, the head of the military's media wing, said in a tweet: "Attribution of an obvious vested statement by Rana Mashhood is baseless and regrettable."

"Such irresponsible expressions are detrimental to stability in the country," he added, without elaborating.

Meanwhile, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb rejected the report of making a deal. She in her statement said that a reply has been sought from Rana Mashhood for this interview. “Mashhood’s statements are his personal opinion.”

She said his claims were surprising.

Senior party Leader Rana Sanaullah told The Express Tribune that there had been no deal with any agency or establishment.

He said the PML-N had taken a clear stance over post- and pre-poll rigging and “our stance will not change”.

“Who would we strike a deal with and if they wanted to strike a deal they would have done so long time back.”

He said, “They don’t want to destabilise the PTI government, and even if the government collapses, we still will not want to form a government like that.”

“Rather, we will want to get a fresh mandate from the people to form our own government,” Sana added.

According to sources in the party, the statement has landed the party in a great deal of trouble. They said that the party was already struggling with the impression of making a hypothetical deal with the establishment.

They said that even Nawaz Sharif’s silence has been linked to some kind of a deal.

The sources said the interview will adversely affect the party’s position in by-elections. “On the one hand the party was telling the voters that their leader, Nawaz Sharif, has been facing hardships because of the powers that be, while on the other hand there are such puerile and uncalled for statements suggesting that the party has struck a deal with them.”