KARACHI: Terming the anti-Ahmadi speech by Nawaz Sharif’s son-in-law “irresponsible”, Prime Mini­ster Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday said that an explanation would be sought from retired Capt Mohammad Safdar over his remarks in the National Assembly.

In an interview with Meher Abbasi on the DawnNews programme News Eye, PM Abbasi said that neither he nor former prime minister Nawaz Sharif agreed with Capt Safdar’s views about the Ahmadi community.

In a charged speech on Tuesday, Mr Sharif’s son-in-law had used the floor of the lower house to attack the Ahmadi community, calling for a ban on their induction into government and military service.

Defending his cabinet members, PM Abbasi said that the cases against him had not affected Ishaq Dar’s performance in the least, adding that the latter would not resign from his post.

When asked why the PML-N did not ask Hassan and Hussain Nawaz to return and face the cases against them, the prime minister said that the two were independent to make their own decisions. But if push comes to shove, the government could write to Interpol to seek their custody, he said.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2017