Issue between Nisar and Nawaz will be resolved: Saad Rafique

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Thursday that the issue between former interior minister and senior party leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif will be resolved.

The federal minister was speaking on the recent issue between the two leaders over selection of route for Nawaz’s motorcade following the Panama case July 28 verdict.

Rafique said that Nawaz has not given any statement related to Nisar, adding that he is the one who suggested to Nawaz to take the Grand Trunk road route instead of the Motorway for reaching Lahore during the PML-N president's August rally.

Rafique further said that Shehbaz Sharif also suggested Nawaz to take the GT road, while some party leaders asked him not to take the perilous route (Motorway).

“It is not appropriate to attribute the decision to take the GT road to one person,” said Rafique.

While clarifying the reason behind taking the GT road, Rafique said that the suggestion was given due to security reasons.

The suggestion was given to Nawaz by a delegation of visiting delegation of journalists too, said Rafique.

“Nawaz didn’t make person-specific statements and if anyone suggested the Motorway route they didn’t have bad intentions, “said Rafique. 

On Wednesday, Chauhdry Nisar had issued a clarification against “accusations” hurled by party leaders in a meeting held a day before.

He said that the decision for the rally’s route through Motorway was taken in a meeting attended by party leaders, including Nawaz.

The statement comes after Nawaz in an apparent jibe at Nisar, who has publicly expressed reservations over various party policies, said that “certain people had advised me against taking out the rally through GT Road”.

“Where are those people now,” asked Nawaz from a gathering of party leaders and workers.

War of words continue between Nisar, PML-N leaders

Nawaz in an apparent jibe at Nisar, who has publicly expressed reservations over various party policies, said that “certain people had advised the party chief against taking out the rally through GT Road”

Nisar, in the statement, refuted the claims and said a party meeting held in Murree had suggested to Nawaz to take the motorway route due to security concerns.

After being disqualified by the Supreme Court on July 28 in its verdict in the Panama Papers case, Nawaz has gone to the 'people's court' to seek their verdict. He set out for Lahore accompanied by senior party leaders and made speeches to masses at various points during the journey.