Nisar denies reports of skipping GT Road rally due to back pain

ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, through a statement issued by his spokesman, denied reports that he did not attend Nawaz Sharif's GT Road rally due to back pain. 

"Neither did I tell anyone that I could not attend the rally due to back pain and my absence was not due to this reason," said the statement issued by Nisar. 

"The reality is that 99 per cent of senior leaders are not part of the rally. Why is only my absence being made controversial?"

The former interior minister further said that he had never said that he will drive Nawaz Sharif's vehicle to Lahore but still the news story was run for a day.

"The reality is that a statement from me was run some time ago which I never gave to anyone," further added the statement. 

He advised journalists and media organisations to verify his statements before running them as it would not leave any space for mistakes. 

The statement also added that it is unfortunate that certain media outlets run made-up news stories concerning Nisar and then continue to comment on it.

Reports had earlier suggested that Nisar has been away from the ongoing ‘homecoming’ rally of Nawaz Sharif owing to ‘back pain’.

Nisar, the former interior minister, did not see off Nawaz when he departed from Islamabad for his GT Road rally on Wednesday.

Earlier, before Nawaz’s ouster by the Supreme Court on July 28, Nisar had held a much-awaited press conference confirming reports of a rift with the senior party leadership.