PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz offers 'hand of friendship' to Imran Khan's party

“I don’t want to fight with the PTI. I want Pakistan to progress and for this I offer a hand of friendship, peace and love to the PTI youth and its supporters. I first take this initiative only for Pakistan. I also ask Imran Khan to let the country progress,” Maryam said.

Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. File | Photo Credit: Reuters

Ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and deposed premier Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz has for the first time offered a "hand of friendship" to Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, saying fighting between the two mainstream political parties is not in the best interest of the country.

“I don’t want to fight with the PTI. I want Pakistan to progress and for this I offer a hand of friendship, peace and love to the PTI youth and its supporters. I first take this initiative only for Pakistan. I also ask Imran Khan to let the country progress,” Maryam said while addressing a rally of the PML-N party in Multan city of Punjab province on July 15 ahead of crucial bypolls in Punjab province.

She, however, warned the former Prime Minister Khan, who was removed through a no-confidence motion in April, and his party that her "offer of peace" should not be taken as her or her Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party's weakness as she knows how to give a "tit-for-tat" response.

Bypolls in 20 Punjab provincial Assembly seats are taking place on July 16. In case Imran's PTI wins 12 to 13 seats, it will manage to oust Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz, son of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, by having a majority in the House. The apex court has already announced the re-election of the Chief Minister on July 22.

Maryam also targeted the Election Commission of Pakistan for making the Results Transmission System (RTS) ineffective in 2018 "to rig the polls in favour of Imran Khan" and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for "seeking one excuse or another" to cause delay in her court appeals against her conviction in the corruption reference.

She said she had a "sound sleep" after a long period of time because her party's government slashed the petroleum prices.

Maryam also said she could share her pictures in a prison cell at the Kot Lakhpat jail where she was confined after her arrival from London along with her father ahead of 2018 polls.

"I want to tell Imran Khan what a death cell in a prison is. You [Khan] need to see the death cell in Kotlakhpat jail that you kept me in for months, where there was no wall between the bathroom? Should I send you the pictures?" she said.