TAXILA: Estranged PML-N leader and former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said he is saddened to see Nawaz Sharif in jail and that he made all efforts to save him from landing in such a situation.

Chaudhry Nisar was addressing a public meeting in connection with the upcoming general elections in Gadwal, Wah Cantonment, on Sunday.

Also read: Has Nisar put his political career at stake?

Chaudhry Nisar said the nation should decide if the advice he gave Sharif was good. He said he had advised the former prime minister to tone down his criticism of the army and judiciary in the wake of his ouster by the Supreme Court in the Panama case, to which he had not paid heed.

“I was a PML-N loyalist for 34 years but I was cornered only because I had a different point of view,” Chaudhry Nisar said, adding that he had founded the party with Sharif and other leaders and had always played a role in getting the party and Sharif out of trouble.

Pakistan is going through a dangerous time and the next government will be shouldering the responsibility of steering the country out of crisis, he added.

Take a look: I carried burden of Nawaz Sharif for 34 years: Nisar

He said Sharif had promised to execute projects worth billions of rupees but had not fulfilled them as politicians throughout the country’s history had done.

Chaudhry Nisar said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan has said he will not field a candidate in Chaudhry Nisar’s constituency and had then not fulfilled his promise. He said he will comment on the issue on Monday.

In another meeting, Chaudhry Nisar said he cannot stand with hands bound in respect of young leaders in the party, hinting at Maryam Nawaz. In an earlier media talk, Chaudhry Nisar said he will work under Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif but not under Maryam.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2018