ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) disgruntled leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has decided to contest the 2018 general elections as an independent candidate, sources said.
Chaudhry Nisar – who was the Interior Minister in Nawaz Sharif’s Cabinet and had an honour to be the member of the Lower Houser of the Parliament since 1985 consecutively – has submitted his nomination papers for two national and two provincial assembly seats.
Sources said that Chaudhry Nisar submitted his nomination papers from National Assembly’s NA-59 Rawalpindi-III and NA-63 Rawalpindi-VII Constituencies, and Punjab Assembly’s PP-10 Rawalpindi-V and PP-12 Rawalpindi-VII Constituencies.
The PML-N stalwart Chaudhry Nisar has been very vocal against the policies of party’s top leadership especially against the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after Panama Papers surfaced in April 2016.
His criticism and blunt statement against Nawaz Sharif’s policies caused a stir between him and the PML-N’s leadership.
Even a tense situation was reported as well within the party with regard to awarding ticket to Chaudhry Nisar as the PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif was willing issue ticket to the former interior minister whereas Nawaz Sharif was adamant not to let Nisar fight from party’s platform.
Meanwhile, Chaudhry Nisar also categorically stated that neither he had any desire nor any intention to receive PML-N ticket for upcoming elections. He also refused to appear before the PML-N Parliamentary Board for an interview.
نجانے کیوں مجھے ٹکٹ نہ دینے کا بہانہ بنانے کے لئے مضحکہ خیز ڈرامے کیے جا رہے ہیں۔ پہلے بھی کہہ چکا ہوں کہ نہ انکے ٹکٹ کا امیدوار ہوں اور نہ ہی اسکا محتاج ۔ علالت سے صحت یابی کے بعد سارے امور پر کھل کر اظہارِ رائے کروں گا۔
— Ch Nisar (@NisarPMLN) June 10, 2018
اس وقت جاتی امراء والوں کو کہتا ہوں کہ ڈراموں اور بچگانہ حرکتوں سے نہ اپنا مذاق اڑوائیں اور نہ میری تضحیک کریں۔ کیا کبھی یہ ہوا ہے کہ پارٹی کے سینئر ترین ارکان جو کئی دفعہ منتخب ہو چکے ہوں وہ بورڈ کے سامنے آکر ٹکٹ کے لئے انٹرویو دیں۔
— Ch Nisar (@NisarPMLN) June 10, 2018