ISLAMABAD - Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Thursday said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif was unnecessarily digging the past.

Last day, Shehbaz Sharif had rejected the common perception that Nisar Ali Khan was closer to him than former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“In reality, he has friendship and brotherhood with Nawaz Sharif, he was my opponent then. I am talking about 1988. And he used to complain about me to Nawaz Sharif who used to scold me,” he said. He added: “Obviously, there is something childish about him. And you have to deal with him like a child.”

Nisar Ali Khan, however, asked Shahbaz Sharif to refrain from mentioning things that happened 30 years ago. In a statement, Nisar said Shehbaz Sharif should instead spend his energies in steering the party out of troubles.

“Non-seriousness is that despite being president, Shahbaz Sharif is unable to redress the issues facing the party,” he maintained. Nisar said: “Immaturity is the trait that their party leadership has adopted.” The former interior minister said that the childish behaviour was what the PML-N leadership was exhibiting, adding the Punjab Chief was unable to do anything about the behaviour of the party leadership.