Daily Times

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz on Monday criticised the use of violence in politics.

“Pakistani politics needs to be immediately rid of violence,” the daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said while speaking to the media outside London’s Harley Clinic. In a hidden jibe at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Maryam said: “Some people encourage use of violence in politics.”

She continued: “There should be freedom of expression over differences in opinion.

Maryam, who is currently in London to tend to her ailing mother further said, “Will return to Pakistan very soon.”

Meanwhile, Nawaz and Maryam are planning to return to Pakistan within a week, sources said. The decision to return to Pakistan was made after a consultation with senior leaders of the PML-N as well as pressure from some party workers, sources disclosed. The PML-N supremo and his daughter, according to sources, intend to lead their party’s campaign ahead of the upcoming 2018 general election. In this regard, Sharif is said to have ordered preparations to be made in multiple cities, accordingly, for election campaign-related rallies.

However, prior to his flight back to the motherland, a detailed medical check-up and a computed tomography (CT) scan of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, Sharif’s ailing wife, will be carried out, following which the PML-N supremo will meet her doctors for a comprehensive discussion on her health, current condition, and progress.

• Published in Daily Times, July 3^rd 2018.