ISLAMABAD: In a surprise move, three close aides of Prime Minister Imran Khan, over the weekend, unleashed a targeted attack on top four leaders of Sharif family.
The attack was led by Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed who launched the attack. This attack was followed up with salvo by Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shahbaz Gill.
At least three close confidants of Prime Minister Khan have made almost same statements, attacking PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shehbaz and party’s vice president and de-facto leader Maryam Nawaz.
Though the attacks were not stealth and rather straight in nature but were vicious in depth and hit the target right. Hence, there was no or little response from the Sharifs.
The only response which came, it was from Tallal Chaudhry which damaged the party more rather than defended it.
Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed claimed that “all four members” of the Sharif family should consider themselves “subtracted” from Pakistan’s politics.
Although the interior minister did not specify who exactly these four members are, he was likely referring to the four Sharifs who have remained active as politicians, namely, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz, of which the first two were disqualified to hold public office in 2017.
Ahmed said: “The four Sharifs want that the hand of mercy that is [sheltering] the head of Imran Khan may shift to their heads. That hand may well end up on their necks, but (would) never be at their heads.”
Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry was next to follow. At a media briefing in Lahore, Fawad said that there is a “rat race” underway among four leading members of the Sharif family to get a deal.
“When the four big leaders went to meet ‘someone’, they said that ‘Nawaz Sharif did not do right by the country, why don’t you consider us [for the top slot]?’,” the minister claimed further.
Fawad went on to say that these Sharif family members are ‘hell-bent on removing Nawaz Sharif’ from the party.
The federal minister even claimed that the four members he was referring to “even went out to meet someone and confessed that since Nawaz had treated the country in a bad manner, they should instead be given a chance to lead the party”.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill followed up and told an audience in Faisalabad that Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has “asked for a deal for four people of Sharif family”.
Gill said to the Sharifs: “However much of a deal and leeway you had to be provided, you have been.”
Further addressing the Sharifs, Gill said that it is “not as if you are out on a shopping trip, that you are seeking a deal”.
Gill said that the Sharif family will never be given a deal. “You have Imran Khan standing in your way,” he said. “He did not let go of them when he was in the Opposition, how will he let go of them now?” he added.
Speaking of the particulars of the so-called “deal”, Gill claimed that it is sought for Nawaz, “his daughter”, Shehbaz, and “his son”. He went on to claim that the request is for the latter three individuals to be allowed to leave the country, whereas “Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will stay”.
“We won’t even give you a boiled potato, and here you are asking for a chicken burger deal,” he remarked, adding: “The Sharif family is asking for a burger deal which also includes a toy.”
Gill claimed that he met Nawaz thrice while he was hospitalised in Pakistan, and that the PML-N supremo “would plead to be let go”.
The premier’s aide said that the government seeks to bring back Nawaz, who is currently residing in London after travelling there to seek medical treatment in November 2019. He claimed that Nawaz is “being put on a plane and sent here” and that he will “go to jail when he arrives”.
He added: “Soon you will see Shehbaz Sharif behind bars.”
Gill said that now, politics in Pakistan will see a clean competition between one vote and another, instead of the use of dirty tactics.
PML-N confirms contacts with establishment:Â
In response to Gill’s remarks, PML-N’s Talal Chaudhry confirmed contacts of Sharif family with the establishment.
“The hand of mercy that was on your head, is now at the feet of Nawaz Sharif,” the PML-N leader claimed.
He said that it is Nawaz Sharif who will “never give any breathing room to this fake government”.
“Look at where the country stands. Neither does the poor man have bread to eat, nor does our nation have any honour,” Chaudhry said.
Chaudhry went on to remark: “They can scarcely run the government and yet have the gall to spin such tales.”
