ISLAMABAD: Former premier Nawaz Sharif has clarified that his recent statement regarding the Mumbai attacks was misreported by Indian media, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Monday, while addressing a press conference after the National Security Council meeting. Abbasi apprised the journalists about the NSC meeting as well as his follow-up meeting with Nawaz Sharif.
He insisted that Nawaz had categorically distanced himself from whatever was reported in the Indian media regarding his statement on the Mumbai attacks. “Nawaz Sharif said that he neither said any such thing, nor can it be said on the basis of assumptions that planning for the Mumbai attacks was done in Pakistan,” the PM said.
With regards to the NSC meeting, Abbasi clarified that the top civil-military huddle had dismissed misreporting of the statement in Indian media.
In response to a question on civil-military issues in the country, Abbasi said misunderstandings occured but were removed when facts were brought forward. Assuring that no one was pulling his strings, the premier said it was his own decision to give the explanatory statement. Expressing support for Nawaz, Abbasi said the entire party, including Punjab chief minister Shehbaz Sharif stood with the PML-N supremo. “Nawaz Sharif is still our quaid,” he said. “A few sentences [from the newspaper interview] were blown out of proportion and context. I have clarified that,” he said, adding in response to a question that he would not resign and that there was no pressure on him to do so. He said the government would complete its tenure at the end of this month after which he’ll leave office.
Published in Daily Times, May 15th 2018.
