ISLAMABAD: PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz at media chat said that the political decisions should have been made in the parliament and not in the General Headquarters (GHQ). she was attending court hearing of her appeal against her conviction in the Avenfield Apartments reference.

In response to a question related to the recent meeting of the PML-N leaders with the army chief, she said as per her knowledge, the PML-N leaders had met the army chief to discuss the issue related to Gilgit-Baltistan.

“I believe the issue of Gilgit-Baltistan is a political matter and political decisions should have been taken within the Parliament not in the GHQ,” she then asserted.

In response to another question whether the PML-N’s supreme leader and his father was aware of that meeting, she replied: “I don’t know [if] he was aware of it or he learnt it [after the meeting took place]. However, it is my persistent view that political leadership should never be invited or go to discuss these issues.”

“Anyone who wants to discuss such issues should come to the parliament,” she said.

In the Lahore presser, PML-N stalwart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi claimed that neither Khawaja Asif nor any other party leader held “one-on-one meeting” with the army chief. He said the parliamentary leaders’ meeting with the army chief on the GB issue was not “secret” but not for public consumption.

Asked whether Nawaz Sharif was taken into confidence by Shahbaz Sharif or any other leader regarding PML-N leaders’ meeting with the COAS, Mr Abbasi said: “It is not in my knowledge”.

However, Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid while talking to a private news channel on Wednesday said the PML-N leaders had two meetings with the COAS in the last two months.

“Khawaja Asif and Ahsan Iqbal had one-on-one meetings with the army chief and ISI chief Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed,” Mr Rashid emphasised.