Political decisions should be taken in Parl, not army HQ: Maryam Nawaz

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz vice president Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday said political decisions should be made in Parliament and not at the army headquarters.

The 46-year-old daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif was responding to a question from a reporter about Army Chief Gen Qamar Bajwa and head of the ISI Lt Gen Faiz Hameed's meeting with key opposition figures at the army's General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi last week.

Maryam, who was at the Islamabad High Court for a hearing of an appeal against her conviction in the Avenfield property reference, was talking to media at the court premises.

Replying to a question on the last week's meeting, she said, "I heard about the meeting. From what I understand it was called to discuss Gilgit-Baltistan which is a political issue...These decisions should be made in parliament, not in GHQ."

Maryam said she was not aware whether her father was aware of the meeting.

"I don't know whether he was aware or learnt of it later...But the political leadership should not be called nor should it go to discuss such issues. Whoever wishes to discuss these issues should come to the parliament, she said.

The meeting was reportedly held on September 16 before the All-Party Conference of opposition on Sunday.

The meeting was attended by about 15 opposition figures, including Sharif's younger brother Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid told the media that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the constitutional status of Gilgit-Baltistan, but other political issues were also discussed.