JULY 4, 2022
Maryam Nawaz, daughter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, gives a press conference. (AP file image)
Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on Monday lashed out at Imran Khan for maligning a US diplomat in his speeches claiming ‘the hand of foreign powers’. She called the PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) chief’s allegations of foreign conspiracy, which were linked to the fall of the government led by the cricketer-politician, “the biggest drama in the history of Pakistan.”
“Unfortunately, Pakistani politics have met a person who is the biggest liar, chaos-maker and imposter. He used to say to people that we are US slaves. He kept people busy with his conspiracy claims. This is the biggest drama in Pakistan’s history,” she was quoted as saying by local daily The Tribune. Maryam added that ousted PM Imran Khan has been “maligning US diplomat Donald Lu in his speeches.” However, two days ago, an official from Khan’s party “went to Lu and apologized” over the PTI chief’s remarks, she further said.
Earlier in March, Imran Khan had said that US envoy Donald Lu at a meeting with the Pakistani envoy threatened to oust his government. “The envoy confirmed the whole development through a cipher to the Foreign Office of Pakistan,” he was quoted as saying in reports . “We have all the details of the people who met the officials of the US consulate,” he added.
Maryam Nawaz Nawaz, crediting her father Nawaz Sharif during an election rally in Lahore, said that “Punjab was like an orphan during the PTI tenure. But now, the lion is back and Punjab will progress as it used to in the past,” local media outlets reported. She also hit out at the ousted premier for using a “religion card” and added that because of his irresponsible behaviour, people got shot.
The re-election for the Punjab’s Chief Minister’s position will be held on July 22.The incumbent chief minister – Hamza Sharif of the PML-N – will stay in office till then. Before that, the by-election for the 20 vacant seats of Punjab Assembly will be held on July 17.
