Was Iqbal ‘apolotical’ statement is his personal view?

Party leaders give conflicting interpretations of PML-N leader's Thursday statement

LAHORE:

PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal’s recent statement about “state instuitions having no role in victimisation of polictal opponents” seems to be a desperate effort by the biggest oppposition party to mend fences with the powerful establishment.

Speaking to reporters, Iqbal on Thursday said the state institutions, especially the Pakistan Army, had nothing to do with the ‘victimisation’ of the opposition leaders in the country.

“The ruling PTI has created a perception that the army is also involved in the anti-opposition campaign,” he had said while condemning the rulling party for dragging ‘apolitical’ state institutions into political affairs. “This behavior hurts the national security,” he had added.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a senior PML-N leader said the statement of Ahsan Iqbal is in no way a reflection of the party policy. “It does not suite the interest of the party in recent or distant future. It will be termed as his personal opinion,” he said.

He, however, did not elaborate as to how it was not a negation of PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif’s “respect public mandate – vote ko izzat do” narrative. Another PML-N leader said Nawaz Sharif’s narrative has been abandoned because t might cost the party the next general elections.

A senior PML-N leader and Sindh former governor Muhammad Zubair said “respect public mandate” narrative was for election campaigning and was a pre-election narrative, where as Ahsan’s statement reflect the party’s post-election narrative.

“The PML-N was bitter after the Supreme Court disqulaified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in July 2017. That is why it adopted a harsher line.”

He said even after Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification, it was the PML-N’s government so it had to voice it concerns regarding the sanctity of ballot as it had no one to openly blame. However with the PTI in power, the PML-N has a clear target before it.

“From foreign relation debacle to economic crises, it is all PTI’s failures. So why blame someone else,” he added. Zubair, however, evaded any further questions.