LAHORE: PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah Khan has advised Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid to give options to his “former boss” – retired Gen Pervez Musharraf – to return to the country, instead of doing this to former premier Nawaz Sharif.

“Those giving options to Mr Sharif to return to the country have themselves run out of options. The political refugees should be worried as their head is about to run away,” Sanaullah said in response to Rashid’s statement here on Monday.

The interior minister had said Nawaz Sharif’s passport had been cancelled since last February and now he had two options – go for appeal or seek asylum.

Mr Sharif had last week filed an appeal in the British Immigration Tribunal after the Home Department refused to extend his stay in the country (UK) on “medical grounds” any further.

He said Sheikh Rashid should give such options to his ex-boss Gen Musharraf, who had been absconding from the country.

“Nawaz needs no suggestions from those who are requesting US President Joe Biden to make a telephone call to Imran Khan,” Sanaullah said and added that since “Imran’s peon” had taken charge of the interior ministry, the law and order situation had worsened.

Meanwhile, PML-N Punjab information secretary Azma Bokhari has said the “humiliation” faced by Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan at the Punjab Assembly entrance is because of the foul language she uses frequently.

On Monday, Ms Awan was denied entry to the oath taking of MPA-elect Ahsan Baryar being held in the Punjab Assembly.

“Foul language never earns you respect being a political worker,” she said and added that she personally regretted what happened to Ms Awan.

“This episode predicts her political downfall,” Ms Bokhari said, adding the PML-N would issue a “white paper” this week on the three-year performance of the PTI government.

Meanwhile, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif presided over a meeting regarding affairs of his party’s Sindh chapter.

PML-N Sindh President Shah Muhammad Shah, secretary general Muftah Ismael, Ali Akbar Gujjar, Salman Khan and Raja Ansari were also present.

Shehbaz discussed the party affairs with them and talked about measures to strengthen the PML-N in Sindh.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2021