Daily Times

Former railways minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) central leader Khawaja Saad Rafique on Friday stated that reconciliatory efforts with Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan were making progress before they failed.

Party supremo Nawaz Sharif and former Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif were reported to be at loggerheads regarding issuing a party ticket to Nisar. The former interior minister had alleged that a “comical drama” was being staged by the PML-N leadership to not issue him a party ticket for the forthcoming polls.

Rafique took to Twitter and expressed regret at the failure of reconciliation talks with Nisar – who had been associated with the party for over three decades.

“We did not want the talks to fail but this is how it is now,” the PML-N leader said.

On June 11, the former interior minister announced his decision to contest the upcoming general election as an independent candidate.

“The party [PML-N] has given tickets to political orphans,” Nisar had said, adding, “There may be 10 faults in the PTI but there are 100 faults in the PML-N.”

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

Nisar, who was associated with the PML-N for over three decades, had publicly spoken about his differences with the party following Nawaz’s ouster last July and subsequent public mobilisation campaign. In February it was reported that Nawaz had parted ways with his longtime associate Nisar.

Published in Daily Times, June 16^th 2018.