PML-N Vice-president Maryam Nawaz on Monday said Shehbaz Sharif, the party president, was arrested because he refused to leave his brother Nawaz Sharif and stood by him like a rock. 

Maryam warned that any continuation of extending support to Imran Khan might reach a point where the state of affairs won’t be in the hands of the PML-N. 

The movement against the government would move ahead no matter how many arrests were made, she said.  

“The PML-N has many options including a long march, she said while answering a question posed by a journalist during a press conference at the PML-N secretariat in Lahore.” 

Nawaz, the party supremo, would lead the anti-government movement, she said but added that he would surely return to the country but only after completing his treatment and lead the party. 

Those trying to carve out Sheen out of Noon were mourning and making the noise after their inability to get their desired result, she observed. Everyone trying to divide the PML-N had become history, the party vice-president remarked and added that Nawaz, Shehbaz, and Maryam were united like a single entity.

Maryam said Shehbaz had made it clear that the decision taken by the APC would be accepted and Nawaz’s speech was according to the Constitution.

Maryam admitted that there was a difference of opinion within the party over the narrative set by Nawaz and her, as it wasn’t easy for everyone to carry the message. But she added that all the party leaders accepted and respected the message with a firm belief to follow that. 

Lt-Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa and his family, not Shehbaz, should have been arrested if there was rule of law in the country, she remarked and added that the matter would be discussed in the Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM) if the Supreme Court didn’t take notice of the issue.

Maryam said the sons of Shehbaz running their own businesses were declared dependents but totally different interpretations had been given in the case of Bajwa.

Imran Khan feared that Shehbaz could be his replacement because he had no capabilities and thus decided to imprison him, said Maryam.

The institutions backing Imran too should understand that Imran was an incompetent and immature person who had defamed the institutions the most, she said.

The PML-N vice-president said attempts were underway to change the loyalties of the PML-N supporters and members through political engineering, adding that it would repercussions for everyone.

Nawaz did not bow down despite all the sufferings and he was even more resilient and stronger in his stance, she said, addressing those who staged a protest outside the London residence of Nawaz with their faces covered.  

The PML-N failed to form government in Punjab despite having a majority in the provincial assembly which was proof that the elections were managed, she said in response to a question.

Ahsan Iqbal, the party’s secretary-general, said the PML-N would stage protest across the country over the arrest and a meeting of PDM had also been convened on the issue.

He said the opposition was being targeted as part of the plan to make the country a one-party fascist state.  

The arrest of Shehbaz was an attempt to stop the PML-N from running the election campaign for the upcoming polls in the region, he said and added that it was another dark day in the country’s history.

He warned that the PML-N workers would defend their votes and mandate in every nook and corner of Gilgit-Baltistan.