Former Sindh governor Mohammad Zubair has been appointed as the spokesperson for PML-N supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, party spokeswoman Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Monday.

In a statement posted on PML-N's Twitter account, Aurangzeb said that a spokespersons' committee would also be formed under the guidance of the party's primary spokesperson and central information secretary.

Dr Mussadiq Malik, Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha, Talal Chaudhry, Uzma Bukhari and Ataullah Tarar would be part of the committee, the statement added.

The news of Zubair's appointment comes less than two weeks after the Pakistan Army disclosed that he had twice reached out to Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and discussed political and legal woes of Nawaz and his daughter in the past few weeks.

Allegations 'utter lies'

In his first press conference after being appointed as spokesperson, Zubair lashed out at Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill who had alleged that Nawaz was targeting the army because it "questioned him about his anti-state activities in league with Indian premier Narendra Modi and his business partnership with Indian businessman Sajjan Jindal".

Zubair said Nawaz did not need the support of Indians as he already has the support of Pakistanis. "If you don't have support here, then God forbid you would go to India but we have support here. Pakistan's people are not satisfied with this government according to a survey. We should not be told who Nawaz Sharif met, this is utter lies and we condemn this.

"Shahbaz Gill, Sheikh Rashid and others said that 11-12 Indians met Maryam Nawaz recently. Now tell me [how is it] that 11-12 Indians are roaming freely in Pakistan and the government knows nothing. Who gave the news to Gill and Rashid? When you have nothing political left, that's what you do (level allegations)," he said.

Zubair added that PML-N has the right to send a legal notice if the statements regarding meeting of party leaders with Indians were not retracted.

He also said that the party would accept double standards. "They say Nawaz's speeches cannot be aired because he is an absconder [and] treason has been committed. Imran Khan was an absconder for 2.5 years in Islamabad when he was making speeches from containers. We will not accept double standards.

"Attempts have been made to break PML-N for the last two years but we are still here with just one stance — that of Nawaz Sharif. We will take to the streets until this government is removed," he said.

Meeting with COAS

“Zubair twice met the army chief, once in the last week of August and then on September 7 in the presence of director general ISI,” military spokesman Major General Babar Iftikhar had revealed in a TV talk show.

Both meetings, he said, were held on Zubair’s request.

“In those meetings he (Zubair) talked about Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz,” the director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Also appearing on television channels afterwards and later through his official social media account on Twitter, the former governor did confirm his contacts with the military leadership while claiming that he had gone to discuss economic issues. However, he admitted, Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam did come up for discussion.

“Gen Qamar Bajwa is an old friend and not only that I have met him many times as a friend but our families have also been meeting cordially over dinners etc. In my most recent meeting with him economy, politics and, of course, Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz, all came under discussion. No relief was ever requested,” tweeted Mr Zubair.

Zubair was sworn in as the 32nd Governor of Sindh in February 2017. He was sworn in after the shortest-serving Sindh governor retired justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui passed away in January of that year.

However, he announced his resignation in July 2018.

Zubair, who was chairman of the Privatisation Commission before being appointed to the governor's post, is the brother of PTI leader Asad Umar.

Prior to serving as chairman of the Privatisation Commission, Zubair was chairman of the Board of Investment from July to December 2013.

From 2012-13, he was a part of the PML-N's Economic, Tax Reforms and Media Committees.

Before working in government, Zubair was employed by IBM, where he held various positions for the duration of his 26-year career until 2007, according to information available on the Privatisation Commission website.