ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday issued a strongly worded rebuttal to Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal?s comments on Geo News? programme Naya Pakistan with Talat Hussain.

Iqbal stated that cabinet members had agreed, during a recent cabinet meeting, that the JIT?s modus operandi did not meet the requirements of justice.

The minister quoted Chaudhry Nisar as referring to his over three-decade long association with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and describing his loyalty as an asset he was proud of in his political journey.

An hour after Iqbal?s comments ? aimed at dispelling the impression that Chaudhry Nisar had distanced himself from Pakistan Mulsim League ? Nawaz?s (PML-N) leadership over the Panama Papers probe and JIT report ? were aired, an interior ministry spokesperson issued a strongly worded statement refuting the remarks attributed to Nisar by ?a member of cabinet.?

The interior minister had excused himself from a crucial PML-N parliamentary party meeting following the cabinet meeting on Friday, on the basis of prior engagements.

Nisar strongly negated rumours that his absence was something symbolic and said personal engagements kept him from attending the meeting.

In a statement that indirectly referred to Nisar, Iqbal had also said that one?s character was defined by their decision to complain or stand by the individual who was in trouble.