LONDON      -     Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz 
(PML-N) Vice President 
Maryam Nawaz Tuesday alleged that Pakistan

 Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) 
Chairman Imran Khan was criticising the military establishment to get favour again.
Addressing a press conference in London, Maryam Nawaz 
said that every political party 
in Pakistan had criticised the 
establishment at one point or 
another, based on “democratic principles or issues for some 
correction or to provide realisation about a mistake”.
She said that such critiques 
had a different purpose which 
was clear to the nation. However, referring to Imran’s growing 
criticism of the establishment 
since his ouster, she said: “His 
criticism of the establishment is 
not due to vision or democratic 
or personal principle,” she said, 
but only so he could regain their 
favour. Maryam called out the 
manner of Imran’s criticism as 
well, saying that there must be 
a “standard of criticism”. “[Soldiers] are the defenders of the 
country, not defenders of Bani 
Gala or Imran Khan’s government or your loot.”
She castigated Imran for 
“grabbing the collars of those in 
the day whom he beseeches in 
the darkness of night”, adding 
that he had stayed silent about 
the meeting with the army chief 
in the presidency while “giving 
sermons about animals and Mir 
Jafar and Mir Sadiq” to his supporters until the Inter-Services 
Intelligence chief had to come 
and reveal the “truth”.
“He doesn’t have answers 
about the truth. The nation is 
waiting that some answer will 
come for the serious allegations 
and facts against him but he has 
no answer. All [his] focus is on 
cursing [opponents].”
Maryam claimed that the people had seen the reality of Imran’s lies, which explained the 
low turnout in the PTI’s march 
to Islamabad.
She said the long march was 
the PTI’s last resort after its attempt to build pressure through 
public rallies and secure early 
elections failed, alleging that the 
actual purpose for the pressure 
campaign was the matter of the 
next army chief’s appointment 
this month.
To a question, Maryam said: 
“There is no institution behind this long march, [however], there could be one or two 
individuals behind it,” adding 
that “some people” — whose 
list of crimes and sins was so 
long — had made the PTI chief 
their last hope and were still 
teaching him. Maryam further 
alleged that Imran was still 
searching for people in the establishment who could continue to support him and the nation was aware of this. 
Referring to Imran’s claim that 
the establishment had informed 
him about cases against his political opponents, Maryam said 
that “there is no bigger proof of 
[PML-N supremo] Nawaz Sharif’s innocence than this.”
She also referred to the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) detailed verdict on her appeals 
against her conviction in the Avenfield reference which virtually cleared Nawaz Sharif in the 
reference by observing that the 
accountability court order convicting him, Maryam and sonin-law retired Capt Mohammad 
Safdar was “not correct”.
Maryam said that “no case is 
left” after the IHC observation 
and the PML-N would soon legally take up the matter and 
Nawaz would be back among 
the people.
Regarding the Toshakhana 
reference, Maryam alleged that 
another “major scandal” related 
to the issue was coming soon. 
She alleged that British multinational jeweller Graff had gifted a diamond set that Imran had 
paid “Rs20 million for and sold 
in Dubai for Rs220m”.
Maryam also said that the PTI 
long march not arranged for the 
sake of the nation but its purpose is to stop the incumbent 
government from appointing 
the next army chief.
Speaking during a press conference in London, the PML-N 
vice president said that “Khan 
should know that the appointment of the army chief is rightfully, constitutionally, and legally the right of Prime Minister 
Nawaz Sharif. And God willing, the process will be carried 
out amicably in a good environment.” PM Shehbaz has said 
that Khan contacted the government last month for discussing two matters — one of them 
being the appointment of the 
army chief. However, the premier refused to discuss it with 
him, she said.
The PML-N leader said the 
“part-time” long march ends 
within two hours after it starts, 
and it is stuck in Lahore despite 
the passage of five days. “And 
now, we are hearing reports 
that it will take eight to ten 
more days to reach Islamabad.”
Maryam said at this pace — 
when Khan leaves for the march 
after breakfast and leaves for 
Lahore for tea in the evening — 
his caravan would not reach Islamabad even after a month. 
“These were such serious lies 
that DG ISI [Director-General of 
Inter-Services Intelligence Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed 
Anjum] had to come out and address a press conference.”
Maryam said since it was the 
DG ISI who even avoids taking 
photos, the nation should understand the seriousness of the 
situation.
She also sent condolences to 
the family of deceased journalist Sadaf Naeem — who was 
crushed to death in the line of 
duty while climbing down PTI 
Chairman Imran Khan’s container during the march — and 
said that the incident forced her 
to think about the purpose of 
PTI’s long march.
She said that the way the PTIled government trampled upon 
the economy of the country, 
which led to skyrocketing inflation, Khan should not even be 
able to utter a word anymore. 
“Yet, he has taken out a rally 
on the streets of Pakistan,” she 
said. Criticising the march further, Maryam said that personnel of the Punjab Police employed to provide security to 
Khan greatly outnumbered the 
participants of the march. 
“Millions of taxpayers’ money 
is being spent to provide security to a march which is aimless 
and holds no national agenda,” 
she said, adding that it certainly needs a criminal-minded person to spend the public’s money so lavishly without having 
an iota of remorse. She further 
said that the narrative of a conspiracy that Khan built following his ouster has been exposed. 
“One after the other, his lies 
started unfolding before the 
nation which is why the masses are largely indifferent to this 
long march,” she said.
The PML-N vice president 
added that this long march was 
the PTI’s last plan. “Prior to that, 
they continued building the narrative of a foreign conspiracy to 
mount pressure on the government and spewed many lies. 
Maryam added that since 
Khan failed to dissolve the incumbent government and 
couldn’t ask for a date for the 
election, he resorted to this aimless long march.
The PML-N vice president further censured Khan for bragging 
about winning the by-elections 
and said that “he wins from constituencies which he himself vacates and then sings his own 
praise of winning the elections.” 
She dared Khan and said that he 
should wait for his biggest opponent — PML-N supremo Nawaz 
Sharif — who has “not yet been 
given a level-playing field”.
“Khan’s actual level will be 
exposed on the day Nawaz 
will get a chance to step onto 
the electoral field,” she maintained, adding that the PML-N 
supremo will “Insha Allah return after ridding himself of 
all the baseless allegations 
Khan levelled against him.” 
“And that day is not far away, 
because [when my case was 
being heard in the court] the 
judges clearly said that none of 
the allegations against Nawaz 
Sharif has been proven on the 
basis of which Maryam was 
convicted.”