Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday said that it “seems like the government is prepared to recognise Israel as a state”.

The PML-N vice-president, addressing a press conference in Islamabad, said that if this is contrary to the truth, then “why hasn’t the government issued a denial?”

When asked about the government’s alleged backdoor contacts with Israel, she said, “I feel the same. A state’s foreign policy is not an individual’s policy.”

She further stated that foreign policy should not be viewed in light of the domestic political situation.

“You should first pay attention to [setting your] own home [in order]. [The rulers] shouldn’t lie to the people or deceive them,” she maintained.

“If you have taken a decision, then inform the people about it, as this is not a personal decision for you alone to make,” Maryam said to the government, stressing that the nation be taken into confidence in the matter.

No deal on the cards

The PML-N leader ruled out any deal with the establishment. “People bring up a ‘deal’ all the time,” she said and added, “Why would there be a deal and with whom.”

“We aren’t insane to strike a deal after waging such a struggle. We’ll get to terms with it when things settle down.”

Talking to media outside the Islamabad High Court (IHC) where she came to attend the hearing of her appeal on Tuesday, Maryam said this government would never come back to power once its tenure ended. Time will come when everyone will have to be answerable, she asserted.

She claimed there was intense infighting within the government and this would be visible once the general election approaches.

Maryam was confident that if fair elections were held, then the PML-N would emerge victorious in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Maryam warned that any rigging in the forthcoming elections in Azad Jammu & Kashmir will have a far-reaching impact.

“The results of rigging in the polls will not be good. Don’t try to steal the elections,” she said and added, “You get defeated even after abducting the polling staff.”

She further said, “Don’t come in the way of the people and their elected representatives.

She said that PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif represented the party in the Swat rally while she was assigned the responsibility of elections in Kashmir.

IHC adjourns Maryam, Safdar’s case till 15th

The Islamabad High Court has adjourned Maryam Nawaz and her husband Captain Muhammad Safdar Awan’s appeals till July 15 after rejecting their counseled request for putting off the case for three weeks.

An Islamabad High Court bench comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani heard the appeals of Maryam and Captain Safdar against their conviction in the Avenfield properties on Tuesday.

Both the high-profile petitioners were present in the courtroom.

At the outset of the hearing,  the counsel Amjad Pervez pleaded to the court to put off hearing of the appeals at least for three weeks mentioning that he just recovered from Covid-19 and his back was still hurting.

But Justice Farooq remarked that the case did not complete in just one day saying they needed to start it anyhow.

Justice Kiyani said that the court could arrange a chair for the counsel.

Justice Farooq said that he did not want to delay the case for long and the bench fixed July 15 as next date for hearing.