Nawaz appeared before an accountability court in Islamabad today and was questioned outside the court premises by a reporter regarding his stance on Mashhood’s statement.
“Shehbaz has taken notice of it already,” the former premier said in response.
Further, the former premier referred to a verse by Ghalib and said, “'ġhālib' hameñ na chheḌ ki phir josh-e-ashk se. baiThe haiñ ham tahayya-e-tūfāñ kiye hue.”
Nawaz also told the reporters, “I am in another state of mind and you are asking me political questions.”
However, when asked if Mashhood’s statement was party policy or not, Nawaz said, “You know better than me.”
A day earlier, Mashhood while speaking to Geo News had said that independent candidates, who helped PTI gain majority in Punjab, were now having a “change of hearts”.
“PTI in Punjab holds a small majority. Everyone knows how this majority was secured. The people [independent MPAs] who helped in securing this majority have told me that false promises were made and they are now having a change of hearts,” the PML-N leader said.
“In my opinion, the next 2-2.5 months are very important as the results of the by-elections will also be in. The impact of their [PTI] policies will also be apparent," he added.
The PML-N leader also spoke of the situation changing once the constituencies, which had election petitions pending in tribunals and high courts, were opened.
Mashhood categorically denied reports of a deal between the PML-N and institutions, stating that conversations had taken place between the party and officials in institutions through which it was discovered that there was a growing sentiment of PTI not being able to deliver.
“We are even against the word deal and have always had a principled stance against deals,” he asserted.
DG ISPR expresses disappointment
Soon after Mashhood's statement, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor expressed disappointment and said that the attribution of a vested statement by the PML-N leader was baseless.
"Such irresponsible expressions are detrimental to stability in the country," he said.
PML-N distances itself from Mashhood's statement
The PML-N on Tuesday distanced itself from Mashhood's statement in which he alluded to the provincial government changing hands from the PTI to the PML-N.
PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Mashhood's statement reflected his personal opinion.
"Rana Mashhood's statement has nothing to do with the PML-N or its leadership," she said in a statement, expressing astonishment over the assertion.
Aurangzeb said the party was seeking an explanation from Mashhood with regard to his statement.
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