Nisar puts grievances aside to 'preserve' democracy
Nisar asked for judicial commission to investigate Aitzaz's claims; promises to leave politics if any are proven true
KARACHI:
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar decided on Saturday to put his personal grievances against PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan aside, saying “preserving democracy" in the country is more important than preserving his dignity.
Nisar also called for a judicial commission to be formed to investigate the allegations that Ahsan made against him.
“Appoint whichever judge you want,” Nisar said stoically. “If there is even 1% of evidence for the allegations, then I will resign from politics altogether, let alone the ministry,” he said, before ending the press conference. He did not take any questions.
Over the past 48 hours, the spat between Aitzaz Ahsan and Chaudhry Nisar had eclipsed the prevailing political crisis, culminating in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif officialy apologising to Ahsan and Opposition Leader Khurshid Shah for Nisar’s angry tirade against Ahsan on Thursday evening, on the parliament floor.
Nisar accused Ahsan of being a lawyer for the land mafia and of landing lucrative LPG gas deals from favourable quotas.
On Friday, Ahsan had the chance to respond, and had his own allegations to make against Nisar, questioning his – and his late brother’s – loyalty to Sharif and to democracy in general. When Nisar got up to respond, despite Nawaz visibly persuading him not to, the call for Azaan rang and the session was adjourned. Saturday’s press conference was Nisar’s first public appearance since Friday morning’s parliament session.
“My dignity is very important for me,” he said. “If I have no dignity in politics, then there is no point in me staying in politics anymore,” Nisar said.
Despite Nisar’s anger, he had received immense pressure from within the party, not least from Nawaz himself, to move on. In Saturday’s press conference, Nisar seemed to be begrudgingly doing so.
“My personal feelings about the incident are not important,” says Nisar, adding that while his sentiments matter, preserving democracy in Pakistan is much more important. “I have decided to let go of yesterday events, keeping my dignity aside.”
In an apparent show of indignation, Nisar asked an FIR to be registered so that Ahsan’s allegations against him can be investigated. He alluded to his fallible character, calling himself a “sinner” more than once, but said that he always stood for “rights and justice”, and was confident in his innocence. Nisar goaded Ahsan to pick any judge of his choosing – a reporter at the press conference suggested former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry – and stipulated that if even 1% of his allegations are true, he would resign from politics altogether.
(The story was compiled by Saim Saeed)
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar decided on Saturday to put his personal grievances against PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan aside, saying “preserving democracy" in the country is more important than preserving his dignity.
Nisar also called for a judicial commission to be formed to investigate the allegations that Ahsan made against him.
“Appoint whichever judge you want,” Nisar said stoically. “If there is even 1% of evidence for the allegations, then I will resign from politics altogether, let alone the ministry,” he said, before ending the press conference. He did not take any questions.
Over the past 48 hours, the spat between Aitzaz Ahsan and Chaudhry Nisar had eclipsed the prevailing political crisis, culminating in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif officialy apologising to Ahsan and Opposition Leader Khurshid Shah for Nisar’s angry tirade against Ahsan on Thursday evening, on the parliament floor.
Nisar accused Ahsan of being a lawyer for the land mafia and of landing lucrative LPG gas deals from favourable quotas.
On Friday, Ahsan had the chance to respond, and had his own allegations to make against Nisar, questioning his – and his late brother’s – loyalty to Sharif and to democracy in general. When Nisar got up to respond, despite Nawaz visibly persuading him not to, the call for Azaan rang and the session was adjourned. Saturday’s press conference was Nisar’s first public appearance since Friday morning’s parliament session.
“My dignity is very important for me,” he said. “If I have no dignity in politics, then there is no point in me staying in politics anymore,” Nisar said.
Despite Nisar’s anger, he had received immense pressure from within the party, not least from Nawaz himself, to move on. In Saturday’s press conference, Nisar seemed to be begrudgingly doing so.
“My personal feelings about the incident are not important,” says Nisar, adding that while his sentiments matter, preserving democracy in Pakistan is much more important. “I have decided to let go of yesterday events, keeping my dignity aside.”
In an apparent show of indignation, Nisar asked an FIR to be registered so that Ahsan’s allegations against him can be investigated. He alluded to his fallible character, calling himself a “sinner” more than once, but said that he always stood for “rights and justice”, and was confident in his innocence. Nisar goaded Ahsan to pick any judge of his choosing – a reporter at the press conference suggested former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry – and stipulated that if even 1% of his allegations are true, he would resign from politics altogether.
(The story was compiled by Saim Saeed)