Mass defections in PML-N on the cards, claims Sheikh Rashid

Railways minister also claims that close aides of Zardari are ready to return 'some of the looted wealth'

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has claimed that mass defection in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are on the cards at the Centre.

“PML-N II will soon be formed in Islamabad... I have already told you that Shehbaz Sharif is my man, however, it remains to be seen who will lead the defected group of the party -- Shehbaz or Chaudhry Nisar,” said the minister while addressing a press conference in Lahore on Saturday.

Rashid also claimed that a few close associates of PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari are ready to return 'some of the looted wealth' but Zardari himself is not in favour of doing so.

"I also suggest Nawaz Sharif and his associates to follow Zardari's footsteps and return back the money to get some relief," he added.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, however, would never strike any NRO-like deal at any cost, the Awami Muslim League (AML) chief maintained.



Responding to a question, the minister said: "Despite receiving electric shock, you can see I am alright, but Indians want Sheikh Rashid to die and their channels have made a big deal out of yesterday's incident."

On Friday, Rashid received a jolt while holding a microphone during a rally organised to show solidarity with Kashmiris after New Delhi's illegal and unilateral move of revoking the special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir which also spiked the tensions between the two nuclear-armed states.

To a question about the closure of air space for India, he said the prime minister, the cabinet and the foreign ministry would take a decision in that regard.

"However, no train would operate between Pakistan and India as long as I am the railways minister," he added.