Arif Alvi, Shehbaz Sharif have similar ‘positive stance’: Ali Durrani

ISLAMABAD: Former federal information minister Muhammad Ali Durrani has claimed that President Dr Arif Alvi and former premier Shehbaz Sharif have a similar ‘positive stance’ – they don’t want a “fight with miliary establishment”, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Speaking exclusively to ARY News, the former federal minister recalled that he met PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif in jail and asked not to “pick a fight with the military establishment”.

“Shehbaz Sharif said he was bound by his party leadership,” Ali Durrani said, adding that the former premier and President Alvi had a ‘similar positive stance’.

Durrani further said he told PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif that PTI chief would never get out if “you hit the ball on umpire’s head (and not his)”. “Only the people of the country can minus a politician,” he added.

In response to a question, the former minister said the political situation improved after his meetings with President Dr Arif Alvi and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir.

“I know PTI chief better than others, I know what he will do next,” he said, adding that he would never enter the level-playing field if “positive results were unlikely”.

Before meeting with President Dr Arif Alvi, Durrani said, he first met Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders – who are still standing by the party.

“They [PTI leaders] had told me that they wanted reconciliation,” he said, adding that those who left the party wanted conflict.

Meanwhile, Ali Durrani also said that he would announce confidence-building measures (CBMs) on Friday – which according to him will represent the people who are still party of PTI and are in crisis.