Saad Rafique hints at joining hands with PPP

Ex-railways minister admits not amending NAB law was a mistake

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Wednesday his party could partner with Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari to form a strong and a united opposition against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

Talking to the media at the Parliament House, Rafique said that the opposition did not want any confrontation with the government, stressing that the opposition was a guarantee of the continuation of the system.

Rafique, a PML-N member of the National Assembly, who was detained by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in Paragon Housing Society scam case, spoke with the reporters after attending the assembly session.

He stated that former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would never be able to create a forward bloc in the PML-N. He, however, declined to comment on the statements Khan gave before the general elections.



Stressing that the opposition wanted the current government to complete its term, he said that his party might join ranks with the PPP “not to topple the government but to present a strong opposition for legislative purposes”.

When asked about the parliamentary decision on the military courts, he said: "We will discuss when it comes to that", adding that the decision would be taken keeping in view the prevailing situation. “The military courts were established under different circumstances. The situation has changed now.”

Rafique admitted the previous PML-N government’s failure in amending anti-graft laws. “We made a mistake by not changing NAB laws. This must be changed.” But when pressed further on the amendments, he refused to elaborate.



“The way political victimisation is being done in the guise of accountability it will bury the real accountability under the dust of victimisation. It seems that NAB law would not be amended for now. We will have to wait for it."

When pointed out that PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif was also arrested by NAB but unlike him [Rafique] he [Shehbaz] had no complaint against NAB, he said: “Their attitude towards me has been appropriate hence I have not complained.”