Imran Khan’s long march not against govt, ‘but establishment,’ Maryam Nawaz says

LAHORE: PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, berating PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday, said his “Azadi March” was not against the government, “but the establishment”.

“When he says that he has recognised the real faces of Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq, then do you think he is referring to Maryam Nawaz, Nawaz Sharif, or Shehbaz Sharif? Our faces are etched on his heart. He does not sleep because our faces keep [revolving in his mind]. The threat he is issuing is not to us, but the establishment,” she said in a press conference.

The PML-N vice president’s press conference comes after the federal government decided to not let the PTI’s long march go ahead following late-night raids and arrests of the party’s leaders.

Continuing her tirade against Khan, Maryam said the PTI chairman also launched “a malicious campaign targetting the judiciary, in which abusive words were used against the judges” as they issued a historic verdict of restoring the National Assembly — after President Arif Alvi had dissolved the lower house.

“But when the Supreme Court took a suo motu notice against Shehbaz Sharif, then you started praising them. I want to request the courts to not lay the tradition of giving verdicts in favour of the person who abuses the courts,” she said.

The PML-N vice president asked the courts to issue decisions in favour of the people and the nation and advised the judiciary to “refrain from monitoring social media and the traditional media as well”.

Imran ‘responsible’ for constable’s murder

Speaking further about the long march, Maryam said the government was worried about PTI’s “nefarious designs”, and it has intel about the party amassing weapons for use against law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

“They have amassed weapons, shells of tear gas, and planned other things against the law enforcement agencies. The Interior Ministry has intel regarding this,” Maryam said.

Maryam said it became evident that the party had amassed weapons after the police constable Kamal Ahmed was shot dead in Lahore during a crackdown against PTI leaders the night before.

“I think the person responsible for the murder of the constable is Imran Khan. But the person who took the like of the constable and their mastermind — Imran Khan — will not be spared,” she added.

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