Says the punishment given to former Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed was unreasonable
Islamabad (Pakistan Point News – 15th May, 2018) The daughter of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz has also given a statement on Dawn Leaks.
A journalist asked Maryam outside the Accountability Court why Pervaiz Rasheed was removed from the ministry if Dawn Leaks were true. To this, Maryam responded that Rasheed should not have been punished.
Maryam declared the punishment given to former Information and Broadcasting Minister Pervaiz Rasheed by removing him from the ministry unreasonable.
Earlier, Nawaz in his statement also confirmed Cyril Almeida’s news known as the infamous Dawn Leaks where he hinted towards a civil-military clash over security issues. In an informal talk with journalists, the former prime minister said that it was discussed in the National Security Committee (NSC) to fix our own house. This was given the name of Dawn leaks whereas everything that was said was true.
Nawaz, in his May 12 interview to Dawn newspaper, had said, “Militant organizations are active. Call them non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can't we complete the trial?" His remarks were played up by the Indian media as an admission of Pakistan's involvement in the terrorist attacks, even though similar questions and statements have been raised from civilian and security officials in Pakistan earlier.
Following the backlash, an NSC meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, was held on Monday. The NSC meeting unanimously rejected the allegations and condemned the fallacious assertions, raised by the former prime minister regarding the Mumbai attacks. The meeting termed the statement as "incorrect and misleading". The meeting reviewed the statement of former Nawaz Sharif that appeared in the Daily Dawn of May 12 and said it was "very unfortunate that the opinion, arising out of either misconceptions or grievances, was being presented in disregard of concrete facts and realities.
Meanwhile, political analysts are of the view that Nawaz Sharif will lose his vote-bank because of this statement. Meanwhile, slogans of ‘traitor Nawaz’ are being raised against the former prime minister for his remarks. The political opponents had urged Nawaz to take back his statement; however, Nawaz during his hearing at Accountability Court on Monday said that he sticks to his statement come what may.
