SIALKOT: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Khawaja Mohammad Asif has endorsed the stance of party’s vice president Maryam Nawaz that the proposed charter of economy has become a joke.

Talking to reporters on Sunday, Khawaja Asif said: “Yes it is true that the charter of economy has become a joke and what Maryam said is absolutely right as per the policy of PML-N.”

PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif had made the offer of the charter of economy to the PTI government during the ongoing session of the National Assembly.

Ms Maryam rejected the offer at a press conference on Saturday and said that PML-N supreme leader and former premier Nawaz Sharif was against any charter of economy or charter of democracy.

Her remarks fuelled speculation there are differences between her and Shahbaz Sharif. On Sunday, she denied reports of any rift with her uncle and said her remarks at the press conference had been quoted out of context.

She said she had had a relation of extreme respect, esteem and love with her uncle and taking him into confidence in all affairs is her duty.

She said Shahbaz Sharif had in his budget speech repeated the offer the charter of economy that had originally been made in September 2018.

Khawaja Asif ruled out the possibility of further talks on the issue, saying PML-N would not discuss the issue till the national political scenario improved.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2019