-Predicts an implosion of PML-N as Court orders Nawaz Sharif’s arrest
-Sees a split or a coup in near future
From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: Shortly after the All Party Conference (APC) and the directions by Islamabad High Court (IHC) for the government to produce Nawaz Sharif, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid predicted an implosion of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz PML-N, claiming that the process has already started.
He disclosed that some senior politicians of the party had held two meetings with the military leadership in as many months. Speaking indirectly, Rashid seemed to predict a coup or a split wherein Shehbaz would take over the party.
Nawaz is currently in London, though he has been declared a proclaimed offender and non-bailable warrants for his arrest have been issued. According to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday, the former prime minister was ready to comply with the arrest warrants issued by the court before.
Rashid alleges that the arrest and Nawaz’s anti-establishment statements have caused troubles for the party, a sentiment supposedly held by many members of the PML-N. He predicts a Shehbaz-led faction will soon arise. Rashid added that PML-N’s senior politicians held two meetings with the military leadership, with the first meeting lasting for five hours. and the second for three. “Shehbaz Sharif and I ate dinner on the same table in the first meeting,” he claimed.
The minister further stated that PML-N’s Khawaja Asif and Ahsan Iqbal also had one-on-one meetings with the army chief. Ahsan was quick to deny the claim, saying Rashid was lying.
A day later, former premier and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also confirmed the meeting but said that it had taken place at the invitation of the military leadership.
The railways minister further said, “The day Maryam Safdar starts speaking the truth will be the end of her political career” when she denied the news of the meeting.
Earlier, the Foreign Office revealed that non-bailable arrest warrants were delivered by the IHC registrar through a special messenger to the FO secretary on September 17. Later, the same was received by the Pakistan High Commission in the UK.
Sources added that Sharif received the arrest warrants through the Royal Mail and have receipts as proof.
During an IHC hearing today, Additional Attorney General Tariq Khokhar said that the PML-N leader’s son had contacted the Consulate Affairs Office of the Pakistan High Commission and conveyed that Nawaz was willing to comply with the warrants.
