Daily Times

LAHORE: Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar on Thursday announced he will quit politics and give up office after the verdict of Panama case is announced.

Addressing the media in “silence-breaking” press conference, Nisar said he would give up his National Assembly seat and ministry after the Panama case verdict even if it is not-guilty. “If the verdict is guilty or even if it is not-guilty, I would give up my NA seat and ministry”, he said.

Nisar said he was “done” with politics but had best wishes for the party.

Advising the Prime Minister, Nisar said the verdict should be accepted with dignity and efforts be made to keep the party together.

“If PM and family are exonerated, I’d request them to take it with humility instead of being revengeful to the opponents”, he said. “And if it’s a guilty verdict, it should still be accepted with dignity”.

He said he won’t let it all out and resort to an extreme measure because of the last minute convincing of Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and “other friends”.

Nisar said he has had to face difficulties and conspiracies within the party adding that it’s no different than how it is in any party. He said he has given 33 years of his life to the party and that he is one of the founding members.

The federal minister said he attends every meeting in which he is invited. “In the past 1 and a half month, out of the three meetings I was invited in two which I attended”, he said. “I don’t attend meetings uninvited”.

Chaudhry Nisar said he has always spoken for the supremacy of civil rule despite having family members in the army. He said he has never compromised or become party to any conspiracies against the civilian rule.

The federal minister said the country being surrounded by enemies and difficulties which is why, he said, was important the political leadership stayed together.

Also Read: Senior minister tells PM to see the writing on the wall