Daily Times

Disgruntled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Chaudhry Nisar on Monday put speculations regarding his already estranged ties with the party’s leadership to rest, confirming that he would contest elections as an independent candidate.

“The PML-N has issued tickets to political orphans,” he alleged while speaking at a corner meeting in Rawalpindi.

Nisar did not shy away from criticising PML-N leadership, saying: “The Sharifs will not able to show their faces anywhere if I decide to open my mouth.”

He added: “I have decided to keep mum because of my 34-year association with Sharif brothers.”

Asked by party workers whether he was considering joining the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the former interior minister gave a vague response: “You focus on the elections… I will decide what is better.”

He continued: “There may be 10 faults within the PTI, there are more than 100 flaws in the PML-N.”

Political aides of Chaudhry Nisar earlier filed the nomination papers for constituencies NA-63, NA-59, PP-10 and PP-12.

On Sunday, the former interior minister alleged that a ‘comical drama’ was being staged by PML-N leadership to not issue him party tickets for the forthcoming polls.

He had also dismissed demands from some PML-N leader to appear before the PML-N parliamentary board to qualify for a ticket.

Earlier it was reported that party supremo Nawaz Sharif and ex-Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif were at loggerheads regarding issuing a party ticket to Nisar.

“Nawaz is adamant to not issue a ticket to former interior minister Nisar,” sources within the PML-N had said. He had recommended that if Nisar had not asked the party to issue him a ticket, then he should not be given one.”

However, Nisar had said: “I neither expect their ticket nor do I need it.”

Published in Daily Times, June 12^th 2018.