Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad on Saturday held Maryam Nawaz, vice president of the PML-N, responsible for what he called the destruction of the party and predicted that she will prove disastrous for the PML-N in dealing with the recent video scandal involving an accountability court judge.

The railways minister expressed these views while responding to reporters during a press conference in Lahore.

"A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend. My honest opinion is that Maryam Nawaz has destroyed the party [PML-N] and she will prove herself disastrous for the party in the case [pertaining to the videos accusing an accountability court judge]," he said.

Read more: Maryam releases more video clips of alleged meeting between accountability judge, PML-N rep

He further said that the judge and other people named in the issue, including "Nasir Janjua and Khurrum will never record a statement under oath in the PML-N's favour [failing which, according to some legal experts, the video will lose its credibility in a court of law]," he added.

The minister said, "I have spent my entire life in politics. I can tell you [nobody will stand by the PML-N leadership]. I had been sentenced to seven years in jail in a case of possession of a Kalashnikov. A week before the case was to be decided, journalists Amir Mateen and Hamid Mir came to me and told me that I would be given a seven-year sentence in the case. I wrote letters to all MNAs but I was alone in court on the day of the judgment. And later, no production order was issued for me."

"They are in hot waters," he said, referring to the PML-N leadership.

"The video is going to hit them hard and they won't be able to get rid of it. They can put forward whatever they want to," he said, when told that the PML-N leaders say they have more videos.

"Gone are the days when people used to make up their minds on the basis of video [scandals]. Today, in Pakistan and across the world, the politics of videos has come to an end."

"Still, the Constitution, the law and the greatest judges are there [to serve] the country: [Justices] Khosa sahib, Shaikh Azmat, Faisal Arab, Aijazul Hassan, Sajjad Shah. Such judges [who are part of the judiciary] will bring forth democracy and put criminals behind bars."

Rashid said, while responding to a question about the future of the decisions taken by the judge, "If the decisions [taken by judge Arshad Malik] are reversed, Nawaz Sharif will also be convicted in the case in which he had been acquitted."

"It is my prediction; I am not an expert of the law. They can't produce a money trail, they don't have any money trail, so they are facing the entire situation," he said, clarifying his stance.

Talking about the external front of the country and the current political situation, he said, "Important days are coming ahead. Prime Minister Imran Khan is going to meet United States President Donald Trump.

"[May] God have mercy, both PM Imran and US President Trump have the same type of personality," he said on a lighter note.

"So the most crucial meeting in the history of Pakistan is coming up and they [the opposition parties] want to create disturbance in the country."

The minister said, "I am the only politician in Pakistan who asked PM Imran to let them [the convicted leaders of the PML-N] get out of the country and do his job with peace of mind. A king had also pursued the premier to let the PML-N leadership leave but PM Khan said 'No way at all!' Those are the exact words PM Khan uttered."

"At that time [when Imran Khan was refusing the king], I was wondering if the king would give us the committed amount or not but thank God, he fulfilled his commitment," a smiling Rashid said.

He warned, "If someone is thinking that the PML-N would become 'Tarzan' by accusing the army and the judiciary, [rest assured], they will be tied to a cross. I do believe that the judiciary and the army are guarantors of democracy and politics in the country."

Talking about the issue of the election for the Senate's chairman, he said that the election would be an interesting one and the contest will be neck to neck and "of course I can forsee Sanjrani's win".

"In the days to come, two groups in the PML-N will surface prominently; one of those who believe in deals and leniency and the other who believe in judo karate. The fans of judo karate and the 'flames of Bangkok' will be bulldozed."

Talking about the PML-N president, he said, "Shehbaz Sharif is my friend, he is playing on both sides of the wicket. He and I have the same party. He is still confused about the situation. He keeps Hamza dearer, while Maryam Nawaz keeps Nawaz Sharif dearer."