Fawad Chaudhry speaks up on Shehbaz Sharif's meetings inside prison

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that PML-F leader Muhammad Ali Durrani met with PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on the latter’s desire, ARY NEWS reported.

“What Shehbaz Sharif talked to Muhammad Ali Durrani and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inside prison is not known even in the party circles,” he said during ARY NEWS programme, Aiteraz Hai.

It may be noted that Muhammad Ali Durrani, a former federal minister, and Pakistan Muslim League-Functional leader visited Shehbaz Sharif at Kot Lakhpat Jail yesterday and conveyed a message of Syed Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi Pir Pagara.

Talking to the media after the meeting, Durrani said that the foremost agenda of PML-F chief Pir Pagara is the beginning of a dialogue, even after a confrontation dialogue is required, he said.

Speaking during ARY NEWS regarding the meeting, Fawad Chaudhry said that the leaders like Maryam Nawaz and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are used as pawns and a final decision will only be taken by Shehbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif.

Speaking regarding dialogue with opposition parties, he said that the environment is not as tense between opposition and treasury as it was a month back. “We have no issues over dialogue with the opposition, it was rather the demands put forward by the opposition which has created a hurdle in the process,” he said.

The federal minister said that even this happened during talks on FATF bills as opposition put forwarded NRO-like conditions during these talks. “On the other hand, Imran Khan is not ready to give any NRO to the opposition,” he said.

He said that the opposition was not serious in bringing transparency in Senate polls and is reluctant to hold talks over conducting Senate polls through a show of hands process.

“We could not proceed in the matter unless opposition withdraws from its rigid attitude,” he said.