Maryam wants PTI to be treated as ‘terror outfit’ after Zaman Park chaos

LAHORE: PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz said on Friday the government should deal with the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as a terrorist organisation and that the time had passed to sit and negotiate with the deposed prime minister.

In a hard-hitting press conference here, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senior Vice President lashed out at the former premier for creating a “scene” at his Zaman Park residence, saying Khan announced a “revolt against the state institutions”, Geo News reported.

Referring to PTI workers’ clashes with riot police earlier this week outside Khan’s Lahore residence, the PML-N’s chief organiser said scenes at Zaman Park and the Kacha area are similar — the Kacha area in Sindh is infamous for being a haven for kidnappers.

Maryam also accused the PTI chief of attacking the state in collaboration with banned organisations. She further alleged he was launched into the government at the behest of “external forces”.

Turning her guns towards the judiciary and the establishment, she said Justice (retd) Asif Saeed Khosa gave shameful titles to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

Khosa, the former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), had reportedly used terms of “Sicilian Mafia” and “The Godfather” while hearing the Panama Papers case involving the three-time prime minister and others. Strongly reacting to former US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan Zalmay Khalilzad’s remarks about Khan’s possible arrest, Maryam asked: “Who gave Zalmay Khalilzad the right to interfere in the internal affairs of Pakistan?”

In a series of tweets on Tuesday, Khalilzad said arresting Imran Khan would only deepen the crisis in Pakistan. He offered Islamabad advice on how to deal with the political, economic and security crises being faced by the country.

The PML-N leader also asked: “Why was Zalmay Khalilzad kept silence when journalists were subjected to torture during Imran’s tenure?”

Responding to a question, she said Khan was telling a lie about bail on the international media.