Amid rising political temperatures in the country, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Friday claimed that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) supremo Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan “with dignity” after dealing with legal issues.
While talking to reporters in London, Sanaullah expressed hope that the PML-N supremo would soon land in the country and head the party’s parliamentary board to finalize candidates for the elections.
“A few senior party leaders, including me, should resign to campaign with Nawaz Sharif,” he suggested, as general elections in Pakistan’s largest provinces are expected within 90 days.
As per the wish of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, the Assembly was dissolved last week and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also been dissolved.
PTI has demanded the federal government to dissolve all assemblies including the National Assembly and conduct general elections across the country.
The party chairman, who was ousted as prime minister in April last year, has repeatedly said that the country’s political and economic problems can only be resolved through fresh elections.
In response to a question, the federal minister said that the leadership of Muslim League-N will decide whether they will stay in the federal government or in Punjab.
“Nawaz Sharif should land in Lahore,” he suggested and vowed that he would receive an unprecedented welcome on his return from London – where he has been based since 2019.
Sanaullah said that his return will change the political scenario of the country. The interior minister further said that after landing in the country, the Muslim League (N) supremo will hold rallies across Punjab.
In response to a question about the judiciary, the minister said that he has reservations about some judges but he respects the judiciary and believes that it will bring justice to all.
The Interior Minister said that the decision to arrest PTI Chairman Khan is the decision of the relevant institutions and not the government.
General (R) Bajwa did ‘wrong’ with me.
Moving forward, the interior minister told reporters that former Army Chief General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa and former Intelligence Chief Lt Gen (retd) Faiz Hamid will admit today that what they did during their respective tenures was ” was wrong”.
Taking a jibe at the former army chief, the minister said, “Nawaz Sharif’s position is clear: we were wronged, now those who wronged us have also admitted their mistake.”
A day ago, in a conversation with journalists, the leader of Muslim League (N) held General (R) Bajwa and Lt. General (R) Hamid responsible for the current problem in the country.
The former prime minister seized on the ex-servicemen roaming around Pakistan for their personal wishes and desires in the event of forming the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in 2018.
Meanwhile, Sanaullah also criticized the former military leadership, saying how is it possible that an agency registered a case against him without the permission of the then Army Chief.
“I told General (R) Bajwa that you have wronged me,” the interior minister said.
