Maryam Unlikely To Be In Power Anytime Soon: Captain Safdar

Maryam Unlikely To Be In Power Anytime Soon: Captain Safdar
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Captain (retired) Safdar on Friday said he doesn’t think that his wife Maryam Nawaz could become prime minister in the near future, as he believes that elections will be held in 2025 and the country can flourish greatly under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif.

In an exclusive interview with journalist Naeem Ashraf Butt, Captain (retired) Safdar criticized several decisions and policies implemented by his party in the past. He said that the PML-N's "vote ko izzat do" narrative was buried on the day the party showed a willingness to vote for an extension of former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa's tenure.

He said that the entire PML-N leadership except Pervaiz Rasheed is responsible for the burial of the ‘vote ko izzat do’ narrative.

Captain (retired) Safdar said Nawaz Sharif was the man who ‘challenged’ the status quo, but few party leaders ‘deceived’ him. "I will reveal the identity of those who deceived Nawaz Sharif," he added.

Responding to a query, he said that parliamentarians should avoid changing loyalties. He stated that switching loyalties and joining hands with the one in power is inappropriate.

Captain (retired) Safdar also expressed a desire for a delay in elections and suggested that polls should be conducted in 2025 as the economy is currently in crisis and it cannot bear the burden of conducting elections since it will cost billions of rupees.

While praising former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, he said that he is a great personality who is not dependent on any official designation.

He expressed regret for previous statements he made to the media about the character of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan. He said that unleashing personal attacks on political rivals is not ethical and appropriate.

While responding to a question, he clarified that former Punjab chief minister Hamza Shehbaz is like his younger brother and there is no conflict between them.

Meanwhile, PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz has snubbed her husband Captain (retired) Safdar, and barred him from giving statements against the party’s policy. She added that all PML-N leaders should keep party policy in mind while giving statements to the media.