Imran ‘hiding under bed’ to evade arrest: Maryam

Senior PML-N leader says ‘thieves and dacoits’ are afraid of arrest but leaders are not

ISLAMABAD:

Maryam Nawaz, the senior vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has come down hard on former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan for evading arrest and “hiding under his bed”.

Speaking at the organisational convention of PML-N in Sheikhupura on Tuesday, Maryam said that “thieves and dacoits are afraid of arrest, but leaders are not”.

She went on to compare Nawaz Sharif, her father and former prime minister, with Imran Khan. Maryam said that Nawaz Sharif did not hide when times were tough and even came to court for his own arrest, while Imran Khan is hiding under his bed.

She advised Imran to show some courage and present himself before the judiciary by courting arrest.

Maryam also criticised Imran Khan for his treatment of political workers, citing the example of Zille Shah, a PTI worker who was killed in Lahore last week. She accused Imran of doing politics on Zille Shah's death and putting other people's children on the line to take the police's beating.

She emphasised that the PML-N is not just competing in the upcoming election but is entering the field to win it.

Read Imran asks supporters to 'carry on struggle' even if killed or arrested

The PML-N stalwart reiterated that Imran Khan must face accountability before the general election. She criticised the unequal treatment of Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, stating that Nawaz Sharif has faced hundreds of court appearances despite being innocent, while Imran Khan is trying to walk free despite “being a criminal”.

Maryam also responded to criticism from former chief justice Saqib Nisar, who accused her of misbehaving, stressing that she was trained by Nawaz Sharif and Kulsoom Nawaz and that she was only showing people the mirror.

PML-N leaders including Rana Sanaullah, Parvaiz Rasheed, Talal Chaudhry, Uzma Bukhari, and Sania Ashiq also attended the event.

The PML-N supporters applauded Maryam's speech and chanted slogans in support of the party.

Overall, Maryam's speech was a strong rebuke of Imran Khan and a rallying cry for the PML-N ahead of the upcoming election. The speech highlighted the differences between Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan and emphasised the PML-N's commitment to winning the election.

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