Maryam Nawaz, daughter of ex premier Nawaz Sharif, says Imran Khan no stakeholder in Pakistan's politics

They are political terrorists, she said.She said that the countrys spy chief in a press conference exposed the lies of Imran Khan that he met the army chief at night to present his unconstitutional demands.She also claimed that 70-year-old Khan was trying to stop the incumbent government from appointing the next army chief by making controversial statements during public rallies and the long march.She said the appointment of the military chief was the legal and constitutional right of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, said on Tuesday that ousted prime minister Imran Khan was no more a stakeholder in Pakistan’s politics.

“Their [the party’s] agenda is not democratic. A person who speaks about a bloody revolution has no link to democratic principles. He is a political terrorist and should not be listened to anymore,” Maryam, who is also the vice president of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), said while addressing a press conference in London.

She said that Khan’s protest failed to gather enough people and the coalition government was not disturbed by the long march.

“Whether they [PTI] bring 2,000 or 20,0000 people we will not listen to the demands of ‘armed groups,” the minister said, echoing the words of her father Nawaz Sharif who made similar remarks in a tweet on Monday.

Maryam said that the people standing under the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) banner were not democratic people. “They are political terrorists,” she said.

She said that the country’s spy chief in a press conference exposed the “lies” of Imran Khan that he met the army chief at night to present his ‘unconstitutional’ demands.

She also claimed that 70-year-old Khan was trying to stop the incumbent government from appointing the next army chief by making controversial statements during public rallies and the long march.

She said the appointment of the military chief was the legal and constitutional right of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “He [Imran Khan] should know that the process for the appointment will take place amicably.'' The minister also said the military’s announcement to remain ‘apolitical’ was actually the victory of the narrative of Nawaz Sharif who wanted all the institutions to play their constitutional role only.

She said that Khan’s long march would serve no purpose and this was why the public had rejected it.

“There aren’t as many people in the long march as there are in the Punjab police for Imran’s protection,” she claimed.

“For five days this long march is stuck in Lahore and yesterday we were hearing that it won’t reach Islamabad in 9-10 days. When you start at three in the afternoon and end at 6, you won’t reach Islamabad even in a month.” She also warned the people of Gujranwala to be careful because a “garhichor [watch stealer] is wandering in the city”.

The PML-N leader also rejected the impression about negotiations with Imran Khan but added that if the discussions were held, the purpose would be to get rid of fitna [mischief], a reference to the PTI chief.