Maryam Nawaz draws ire over remarks on NZ tour cancellation  

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz drew ire of netizens and government officials over her remarks criticizing Prime Minister Imran Khan after the New Zealand cricket team abruptly cancelled its Pakistan tour, ARY NEWS reported.

The PML-N leader while sharing the news of the cancellation of the New Zealand cricket team’s tour from her Twitter handle quoted Prime Minister Imran Khan’s previous comment that he would earn respect for the green [Pakistan] passport.

Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar responded to the PML-N leader’s comment saying that Maryam Nawaz could hate them but should give respect to the homeland whose wealth has helped them in accumulating assets abroad.

The New Zealand Cricket Board on Friday informed Pakistan Cricket Board and government that they have been “alerted to some security alert” and have thus decided to postpone the series scheduled to be played in Pakistan without consultation.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed termed the abrupt cancellation of Pakistan tour by New Zealand cricket team as a conspiracy saying that security institutes did not receive any threat in this regard.

“New Zealand’s prime minister spoke to our prime minister conveying that the team could be attacked after stepping out of their hotel,” he said adding that Imran Khan assured complete security to the team.

“We also offered New Zealand to play matches without public attendance after the recent development, however, they did not agree to it,” he said while terming the cancellation of the tour as a conspiracy but stop short of taking the name of those behind it.

The interior minister shared that 4000 cops were deployed for the security of the New Zealand team along with other security agencies.