'Sarcastic,' Marriyum clarifies PM's 'apple of eye' comment

• Minister's statement comes in response to question on PM's remark.
• Minister says PM was jailed in Gen Kayani’s time as well.
• PM Shehbaz lamented his daughters being dragged to NAB courts.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's remark that he is "proud to be the apple of establishment's eye" was sarcastic, former information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has clarified.

Aurangzeb, while talking in Geo News' programme "Jirga" on Sunday night, said that the outgoing premier made the remark in response to a journalist's question and had explained later on by asking why he had been jailed during the Musharraf era if he was establishment's favourite.

She went on to say that PM Shehbaz had asked that if he was "the apple of the eye", then why was he incarcerated in Attock, Adiala, and Kot Lakhpat jails.

"Shehbaz Sharif was jailed during Gen Kayani’s time as well as during Musharraf’s regime. The PM had also said that during Gen Bajwa’s tenure, his daughters were also dragged into NAB courts," the former minister added.

PM Shehbaz, during a farewell ceremony at the PM House, on Saturday said that he feels proud of being the apple of the establishment’s eye for the past 30 years, observing that a hybrid system that works for the country’s progress is better, The News reported.

Speaking to the journalists on the occassion, the premier admitted that during his 16-month tenure, there had been an increase in his working relationship with the military leadership.