KARACHI: PML-N Leader Maryam Nawaz has said Nawaz Sharif has been disqualified but not discredited, despite many attempts by his enemies.
Speaking in the Geo News programme Aapas Ki Baat on Wednesday, she said since the disqualification of Nawaz failed to achieve its purpose, the narrative surrounding plus and minus formulas has emerged. "A man on the street knows more than you do, more than I do. The nation knows everything," she said.
Asked to comment on who she thought was behind the so-called conspiracy against Nawaz, she responded: "I leave the thought with you and the people of Pakistan." Commenting on Ch Nisar asking the party members to refrain from criticism, she said he made the remarks in sympathy with the party. However, she said she didn’t understand the dynamics of getting justice in the country. "If you criticise, you won't get justice, but if you don't criticize, you will get justice?" "What is the standard of justice," she asked. "Our point of view is that there lies anger on the other side and the verdict [disqualification of Nawaz] was announced in haste."
Maryam claimed the Panama case was not about corruption, money laundering or misuse of power. Just because the names appeared on the Panama Papers, it didn't mean those people were "necessarily involved in corruption or any wrongdoing". If there was no wrongdoing, no misuse of authority, no one had the right to raise these issues, she said and added that the case was used as a basis to bring humiliation to the Sharif family. "We were asked private questions such as 'why does daughter live with her father? Why did a father give gifts to his daughter? Why did a son give money to his father?" We were openly labelled as "Don", "Sicilian mafia" and "Godfather". Everyone saw the murder of justice in the court,” she said.
Speaking about cases against her, she claimed she was targetted because she stood against attacks on Nawaz Sharif. "I was also targetted in the Dawn Leaks. One of the central characters who involved me in the Dawn Leaks has met his fate," she said, adding that Nawaz still has all options. Nawaz Sharif compromised on many things for the sake of the country's progress, she said and added: "He doesn't want the system to be harmed. Personally speaking, I think Mian Sahab should not have compromised. He should have put his foot down." However, Nawaz's willingness to compromise was "seen as a weakness" and external forces tried to use this against him, she said.
On options available to Nawaz in the current political scenario, Maryam said: "Mian Sahab has all the options. He doesn't even require National Reconciliation Ordinance." When asked if Nawaz has no fear of being jailed, she remarked: "We have been there." She said her family members were imprisoned as well as exiled in the past. She said the Sharif family was time and again blackmailed through National Accountability Bureau references, imprisonment and Dawn Leaks.
Asked to comment on why the PML-N didn't raise its voice when former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani was disqualified, she said Nawaz had indeed conceded that it should not have happened as it set a bad precedent. "He said this before coming into power," she explained. “We agree that all the institutions should be respected. But the significance of the parliament cannot be discredited. Others are constitutional institutions but parliament is a law-making institution."
On Asif Ali Zardari's remark against Nawaz Sharif, she said: "I am in a fix over his statements. Right now, people are happy being used, but they will soon realise it.” She said: "I can't call Zardari, I am in no position to contact him. We have leaders like Shehbaz and Nawaz to take this decision. I am neither making policies nor am I responsible for their renunciation."
On the NA-120 by-election, she said Hamza Shehbaz could not campaign with her as he had to leave Pakistan due to some "personal reasons". She cleared the air regarding an alleged rift in the Sharif family and claimed that Shahbaz Sharif was the most intelligent member of the family and was her hero since childhood.
On NAB references against the Sharif family, she said: "There is no allegation of corruption or kickback against Nawaz Sharif. We are asked time and again where has the money come from? How did Hussain, Hassan become billionaires at such a young age? People don't realise that Hassan and Hussain are grandsons of a billionaire who was one of the richest persons in Pakistan.”
