'Calibri queen' Maryam Nawaz can't be expected to like any democracy sans PML-N in power: Awan

LAHORE: PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz cannot be expected to like any democracy wherein her party is not in power, Special Assistant to Punjab Chief Minister on Information, Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, said Thursday evening, terming the former first daughter the "Calibri queen".

"We cannot expect the one from the 'royal family' who is aware of certain mannerisms and lacks democratic behaviour, the Raj Kumari [princess], to like any democracy wherein her family is not in power," Firdous Awan told media.

The Punjab CM's aide said she "strongly condemned" those who took shots at Prime Minister Imran Khan's character because of jealousy and grudges and tried to mislead people through toxic statements.

"In politics, there's criticism of and disagreement with opponents [and that is] the beauty of democracy and the soul of politics," she added.

Awan stated that after "trampling over the Constitution, violating laws, and [looting] the nation's hard-earned money with a burp", former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, "the Calibri queen, sit in London, UK, in the same palaces that she claimed to the Supreme Court she did not have either in Pakistan or abroad".

Maryam Nawaz and members of her family "today launch conspiracies to weaken Pakistan and an elected government that did not come via any backdoors or through looting or nexuses but through 22 years of Imran Khan's struggle and hard work of days and nights", she said.

Awan underscored that the literate and wise people were exhausted of "this rotten system", as well as "the 'royal family', slavery through the generations, this party and its palaces in Jati Umrah and new generations". Therefore, they placed their trust in the cricketer-turned-politician and elected him to the post of the prime minister of Pakistan.

"The lady," the aide added, referring to Maryam Nawaz, "claimed that the PTI's MPAs and MNAs are hesitating to visit their constituencies as they are unable to show their faces.

"Madam, our leader is virtuous and has the title of Sadiq [honest] and Ameen [truthful] given to him by Pakistan's biggest court," which also labelled the former premier and his family "liars, betrayers, and corrupt people".

"Why would our MPAs and MNAs hesitate from visiting constituencies? What has our leadership stolen? Where did they use TTs [telegraphic transfers]? When did they ever engage in money-transferring and money laundering?

"When did they build assets under the names of their family members, made investment under their children's names, created ghost companies, and set up properties and businesses outside of Pakistan?

"Under the law and in Pakistani courts, [the MPAs and MNAs] are neither wanted nor absconding or fugitive, they do not hold trophies of corruption through the generations. That's your family! For 35 years, you have worn medals of corruption.

"Imran Khan doesn't bear any such burden on his shoulders, he neither engaged in nepotism nor made any policy to benefit his family," Awan added.