Maryam breaks her silence says she could not be intimidated

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Thursday broke her nearly four-month-long silence, saying she was silent for "personal reasons" and asserted that she could not be threatened or intimidated. Maryam was the fiercest critic of the Imran Khan government, but had been keeping mum since November after given bail in a corruption case, raising speculation that she had struck a deal with the government and the powerful establishment. Talking to media in Islamabad after meeting former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and other leaders of her Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Maryam said she could not be threatened or intimidated.

“I remained silent due to some personal reasons and my resolve against this (PTI) government has further strengthened and I cannot be threatened,” she said. “First, if anyone thinks that by putting me in jail without any reason I can be scared or subdued, they should know that my resolve to stand by civilian supremacy and Constitution has strengthened, not weakened," said Sharif's daughter who is also his political heiress. Maryam said she would play her political role when asked by the party. “I am under my party's discipline. Whenever my party leadership, my seniors give me instructions to come forward and play my role, you will not find me lagging behind,” she said.

She said her father went to London for medical treatment when his life was in danger but now he had improved but not fully recovered. She said Sharif had heart complications and was twice hospitalised for medical procedures which could not be performed. She said though her brothers and sisters were with Sharif in London but she also wanted to go there and to be with him at the critical time when medical procedures are performed. Though, she rejected that Sharif refused to get treatment unless Maryam was allowed to travel to London and be with him. “I want to be there with him when he is going through a major heart procedure and I'm sure he wants all his children to be with him, given that it has not been long since my mother passed away. So this is a very valid wish and I don't think this should be politicised,” she said.

It was Maryam’s first media appearance after she was bailed out by the Lahore High Court in November 2019 in Chaudhry Sugar Mills corruption case. She was also convicted along with her father in Avenfied case in 2018 but was given bail Islamabad High Court..