Efforts being made to clamp restrictions on PML-N leadership, says Rafique

LAHORE: Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Saturday former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was facing trial despite having reservations.

Speaking to reporters here, he said efforts were being made to illegally clamp restrictions on the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) leadership.

The Minister claimed that the PML-N’s detractors were turning into supporters because of the conspiracies being hatched against it.

Referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s back-to-back public rallies, he said the party should help carry out delimitation of constituencies on the basis of the newly held census, instead of holding public meetings.

PTI’s approach was not democratic, thus it aroused suspicions, he said without elaborating further.

The Minister apprehended that if necessary legislation for carrying out delimitation on the basis of the census was not approved at the earliest, the next general elections could be delayed.

He said the PML-N accepted the census results despite the fact that the nine seats of Punjab, the party’s stronghold, ceded to other provinces.

He called on political parties to accept the results of the census and move on.

Taking a swipe at political opponents, he said the agenda of PTI chief Imran Khan was obvious, however, that of PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari shrouded in mystery.

Saad Rafique said that there was not a single prime minister, who was allowed to leave office with respect after completion of his/her tenure.

Stressing the need for political parties to hold dialogue to resolve differences, the Minister opined that an advice given to Nawaz Sharif not to hold a meeting with Zardari was not right. Whoever gave the advice was in the wrong, he added.

He said the PML-N leaders were not hatching conspiracies, nor were they defaming others.

It was the political party that wanted the rule of law, he added. He clarified that party does not want to clash with institutions.