Ch Nisar says will resign the day SC announces verdict in Panama Case

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Thursday held one of the most anticipated Press conference of the year where he said that he wasn't angry with the leadership and the party. 

"It has been 35 years that I have my affiliation with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif," said Nisar while address a much-awaited press conference in federal capital.

Chaudhry Nisar said that there was never a single party leadership's meeting that he had missed in the last 33 years. He said that he wasn't called in some of the meetings and he had protested about it in one meeting, but it was misreported.

Nisar said that he had made a big decision a few days back and was ready to announce it during the last press conference. "That decision was very much in line with what you people have been analysing", he told the journalists.

"The biggest achievement of my 33-year long affiliation with the party is that even my opponents said about me during these days that I wouldn't leave the party", he said.

Interior Minister said that he had always tried to tell Nawaz Sharif the truth. "I might have been wrong at times but it was never my intention to damage him", he said. "My role in PML-N is that of the boys who would stand on Roman Emperors' sides and kept telling him Caesar you're a human. This is what I've been telling Nawaz Sharif all my life", he added.

"I've always been the devil's advocate in PML-N", he said. When I asked him three months ago if I must continue this role of mine, Nawaz Sharif said that he appreciated this behaviour of mine, he said.

Chaudhry Nisar lashed out at Awami Muslim League (AML) leader Sheikh Rashid, saying that he was never going to change the party. "You may continue changing parties. I won't", he told Rashid.

Interior Minister said that his family was from army and he took pride in it. "There are two mindsets; one is army's while the other is civilian. I have always tried that there should be a synthesis in the two. But I've never let the civilian supremacy be undermined at any point", he said.

Nisar told how he had defended his government and the party against senior military leaders including General (Retd) Aslam Beg, General Asif Nawaz Janjua (Late), Lt. Gen. (Retd) Ahmad Shuja Pasha.

"I have told my leadership that I will resign the day Supreme Court announces its verdict; no matter which side it goes. Whether it is in our favour or against us, I'll resign from the cabinet and also from the National Assembly seat", he said.

"They wanted me to meet PM and I will meet him now but I first wanted to make everything clear before meeting him", he said.

Nisar said that he'd never leave the party but leave the ministry whether the Panama case goes in Nawaz Sharif's favour or against him. "But I will not be candidate for any position", he said.

He advised PM to stay calm even if the decision is in his favour and stay strong if it goes against him. He said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz must stand firm even if PM gets disqualified because this party is an asset of Pakistan as a national party.

"Mr Prime Minister, you are the luckiest person in Pakistan," he said. "If you are disqualified, do not become angry," he adds. "Mian Sahab, accept the decision of the Supreme Court humbly," he says.

Nisar says that he will never contest any election again. "I am not the candidate for any position," he says. "I am not part of this game now."

"There are only 4 or 5 people in the country who know exactly what kind of crisis the country faces right now. I just want to advise Mian Nawaz Sharif that he has to keep this country united under any condition because we must keep it united", he said. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders have continued their reconciliation efforts with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar before he talks to the media on Thursday.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Railways Minister Saad Rafique meet Nisar again at Punjab House in the capital. Both the leaders tried their best to appease the PML-N stalwart who is reportedly not happy with sections of the ruling party.

They were accompanied by Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The top-tier of PML-N is ready to negotiate with the interior minister as they are trying to avert his media talk.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has also returned home from the three-day visit to the Maldives where he attended the 52nd Independence Day celebrations of the Island country.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday issued directives for PML-N representatives not to react to Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan after the latter announced that he would resign as Interior Minister after the Panama Leaks verdict.  After meeting Chaudhry Nisar, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif met the prime minister for a brief meeting.

The two discussed the ongoing political situation after Chaudhry Nisar's important press conference.

Prime Minister Sharif urged PML-N leaders not to react to Nisar's Press conference. - NNI