ISLAMABAD – Former Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan lashed out at his own party’s prime minister on Tuesday, saying government officials should refrain from issuing statements that reinforce the enemy’s narrative and embarrass Pakistan in front of the international community.
Nisar’s statement comes as a reaction to PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s recent remarks endorsing Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif’s statement on the need for “putting our own house in order”.
“The prime minister must do in-house cleaning but avoid such statements which strengthens enemy’s narrative. Such remarks will only weaken Pakistan’s stance before the world,” Nisar said.
Speaking to media in London on Monday, the Pakistani premier said the foreign minister’s statements regarding ‘in-house cleaning’ were completely true and that he agrees with the point of view that ‘our own house needs to be cleaned first’.
But Nisar, who had earlier assailed Asif over his remarks regarding banned outfits, has now lashed out at his own party’s prime minister over the matter.
“No one has stopped the PM from putting the house in order, but issuing such statements publicly will only result in embarrassing the country,” Nisar said.
He insisted that the Indian government or politicians never admit to the atrocities of extremist organisations operating in their own country.
“The government should focus more on taking practical steps than issuing [such] statements,” he said, referring to the premier and Khawaja Asif’s statements about ‘in-house cleaning’ and banned outfits.
CM Punjab meets Chaudhry Nisar:
Meanwhile, Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday met Nisar, Geo News reported.
The two leaders discussed internal party issues and the domestic political scenario in the meeting.
Nisar’s strongly-worded statement comes at a time when the PM, along with the foreign minister and foreign secretary, is in the United States to attend the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
