MULTAN: Veteran politician Javed Hashmi has alleged that it was Chaudhry Nisar who played a role in creating differences between him and the PML-N.

Speaking to media here on Sunday, he claimed that Chaudhry Nisar also did not accept him as party president and used to mock him in party meetings. “But I never mind it. I respect him and even do not have concern whether Shahbaz Sharif or Nisar becomes the chief minister Punjab as I am not a candidate for a provincial assembly seat and I will contest for National Assembly,” he said.

He said he had a long association with Nisar and didn’t want to see his (Nisar’s) differences with the PML-N prolong because these are not serving the party.

“Hopefully, Shahbaz Sharif will solve this matter amicably but the fact is that Nisar has good relations with the establishment,” he said.

He said he had not joined any political party so far though he “has good terms with Sharif brothers and their families.”

“Nawaz Sharif has assured me that his party will not field its candidate against me from wherever I contest the election. By saying this Nawaz has awarded me party’s ticket. I have the party’s ticket but Nisar doesn’t have one,” he said.

He said he would select the constituencies to contest election only after reviewing the delimitation. He said he would not contest election against Chaudhry Nisar even if the PML-N will ask him to do so.

“When Nawaz Sharif was held up at gunpoint on Oct 12, 1999, Nisar went off the scene,” he said.

He said that like her mother Kulsoom Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz activated the party and secured it when it was passing through a difficult time.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2018