Dr Asim slams Nisar for attacking Maryam during NA-120 campaign

LONDON: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader and Asif Ali Zardari’s close friend, Dr Asim Hussain, has said that former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan attacked Maryam Nawaz Sharif at a difficult time in order to damage Begum Kulsoom Nawaz’s election campaign in NA-120.

Hussain, who came to London three weeks ago for his medical treatment after getting bail from the Supreme Court, said Nisar has proven through his actions that he’s not a friend of Nawaz Sharif and that he is motivated by his own selfish interests.

The PPP leader told in an interview that Maryam Nawaz harnessed a good campaign in NA-120 but was attacked by Nisar because “uncle Nisar doesn’t like her, doesn’t see his future in the party”.

“Maryam ran a good campaign, it was her own constituency which has traditionally sided with Nawaz Sharif. There have been complaints that NA-120 has been neglected but the voters still supported Kulsoom Nawaz despite attacks by Chaudhary Nisar."

"He knows his politics is over. He knows it’s time for uncles to step aside and move on when the next generation takes over. He has no stakes in Pakistan, his family lives in America and eventually, he will shift there,” said Hussain, adding that Nawaz Sharif should realise that Nisar is not sincere to him and not his friend.

The former petroleum minister advised Nisar to learn lessons from him in how to stand with friends in difficult times and show character instead of stabbing them in the back. 

“If he [Nisar] was sincere to the father and family, he shouldn’t have done what he did in NA-120 campaign. I spent two years in jail for my friend [Asif Ali Zardari] but didn’t go against him. If ever I disagree with the family or develop a difference of opinion, I will step aside and will go quiet but I will not launder my differences in public, I will not attack them. I have morals, I am a man of morality. He [Nisar] has no moralities. He has done nothing for Pakistan except making long speeches and tall claims.”

Advising Nawaz Sharif to be careful of the former interior minister, Dr Hussain said the Ministry of Interior is “already performing better under Ahsan Iqbal and this was reflected when the ministry did the correct interpretation of the decision of Pakistan’s Supreme Court in my case.”

Hussain spent around 19 months in jail and was released last month after being arrested in August 2015 on allegations relating to terrorism and alleged corruption of Rs460 billion.

He laughed off at the charges levelled against him and said that nothing has been proven against him in around two years and the prosecution doesn’t have a case. 

At the time of his arrest, Hussain was accused of misuse of his authority for getting plots allotted fraudulently and encroaching upon state land for expansion of Dr Ziauddin Hospital, money laundering, illegal gains, kickbacks, commission through fertiliser cartel for illegal curtailment of gas for exploitative price hike and defrauding people in the name of charity hospital.

The National Accountability Bureau had filed a reference against Dr Hussain, alleging that the former petroleum minister had deprived the state of Rs462.5bn between 2010 and 2013 — Rs450bn through the fertiliser scam, Rs9.5bn through land fraud and Rs3bn through money laundering.

He rubbished the accusations and said his arrest was all about bringing Asif Ali Zardari under pressure. 

“The FIR against me was indeed against Asif Ali Zardari. In detention, I was asked categorically to give a statement against him. Chaudhry Nisar was the architect of my arrest and had blessings of Nawaz Sharif. He used all powers available to him to incarcerate me and I blame him for that. The NAB cases were registered against me to pressurise me; to break me, so that I could speak against Asif Ali Zardari. The fact is, I had nothing against Zardari which I could have said. I was asked to give a statement against Zardari and link him with financial irregularities but I didn’t have anything. I was being used as a tool against him because I was his doctor and was close to him, and those who arrested me thought I had lots of information on him. I spent 19 months in jail just because of this. I was told that give a statement against Asif Ali Zardari and walk out, but I refused.”

The PPP leader questioned where was all the corruption money and assets that he allegedly had and was touted in media, but no proof has come to light in nearly two years. 

“Where are those hidden bank accounts and where is all that money? There is nothing against me. What I have earned is my money and I have paid tax on it. They are actually after the income of Ziauddin Hospital but its run by a trust and not me. Its annual turnover is around Rs5 billion and that’s problematic for those who arrested me.”

Hussain alleged that NAB investigators continue to witch-hunt him despite being unable to find anything against him. After spending three weeks in London and meeting his doctors, he will be returning to Pakistan this week.