Shehbaz punished for supporting Nawaz: Maryam
Maryam Nawaz address a news conference in Lahore. SCREENGRAB
PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz on Monday lambasted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government and its ‘sponsors’ and claimed that PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif has been arrested for supporting his brother, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
“The party president was arrested not because of any crime but because he stood by his brother. Nawaz and Shehbaz stand united and those who wish to create differences between them would be disappointed,” Maryam said while addressing a press conference in Lahore.
Senior PML-N leaders including Ahsan Iqbal, Pervaiz Rashid and Rana Sanullah were also present at the news briefing that took place hours after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested the PML-N president from the premises of the Lahore High Court (LHC).
“Shehbaz Sharif will never leave his brother Nawaz Sharif alone. Both are one. He is being punished for being loyal to his brother,” PML-N leader added.
Maryam said if there was any rule of law in the country then “one of the PM’s aides who is involved in embezzlement would get arrested instead of Shehbaz Sharif”.
“Shehbaz Sharif comes from a business family and his father was a renowned businessman. However, he does not own hundreds of franchises,” she added.
She said apart from politicians, judges were also under pressure to give judgments favoring “the selected” government. “However, there are a few who are taking a stand for justice,” she added.
Maryam said she heard that Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that they would conduct by-elections if the opposition parties resign from the National Assembly.
“You [Imran Khan] will not get the chance this time around. I am today telling you that Nawaz Sharif will lead his party with all his might [for the elections].”
She said whether Shehbaz Sharif gets arrested or any other PML-N leader including her, the agenda decided during the recently held All Parties Conference (APC) would move forward with full vigour.
The opposition parties on September 20 upped the ante against the PTI led federal government as they demanded immediate resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan, while announcing an alliance –the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – that will begin a country-wide protest against the government.
In the PPP-hosted All Parties Conference (APC), the opposition also ratcheted up its narrative against alleged rigging in the July 2018 general election and demanded that the powerful establishment should not only refrain itself from interfering in politics but also confine its role as defined in the Constitution.
Through a 26-point resolution and a seven-point action plan issued after the APC in a press conference, the opposition parties put forward their demands, including free, fair, transparent elections without having any role of the armed forces and agencies.
Maryam said PM Imran sees Shehbaz Sharif as his replacement and therefore he is afraid of him.
She said that whether they win or lose, the PML-N will not leave the field empty for the PTI-led federal government in the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan elections.
The PML-N leader said that Hamza Shehbaz, son of Shehbaz Sharif, was diagnosed with coronavirus but he was still kept imprisoned. "He [Hamza] is in jail for the past 13 months with NAB failing to present a single evidence against him,” she maintained.
Maryam alleged that PTI leader Jahangir Tareen was “smuggled” out of the country when his name came up in the sugar inquiry commission and later when his son was asked to present himself before a joint investigation team (JIT), he refused to come forward, saying that he was taking care of his father.
“No amount of strong-arm tactics can stop me from raising my voice for what is right,” Maryam added.