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Zardari asks Nawaz to return to Pakistan before decision on resignations can be taken: reports
Javed HussainPublished March 16, 2021 - Updated 3 minutes ago
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PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and other opposition members attend the PDM meeting on Tuesday. — DawnNewsTV
PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday asked PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan before the joint opposition can go with the nuclear option of resigning from the assemblies in order to mount pressure on the PTI-led government, according to sources and media reports.
The former president put forward the demand in a crucial session of the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Islamabad, which is being held amid divisions within the alliance over the issue of submitting resignations from the assemblies at a time when its planned long march is just two weeks away.
Zardari, who like Nawaz addressed the meeting virtually, reportedly told the PML-N chief: "Mian sahab, we will hand over the resignations to you when you return home."
Nawaz has been living in London since November 2019 after he was allowed to leave the country for medical treatment.
Zardari further said if Nawaz wanted the opposition parties to resign en masse, "then not only us, but everyone will have to go to jail".
Talking about this month's hotly contested Senate elections, Zardari said the opposition parties had challenged the government in the polls but regretted that PML-N Senator-elect Ishaq Dar, who is living in the UK in self-exile, had not participated in the voting, according to reports.
"Nawaz Sharif sahib, return to the country along with Ishaq Dar; we will fight together," the PPP leader was quoted as saying during the meeting.
When asked to comment on Zardari's remarks, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb, without confirming or denying the reports, said they had been "leaked".
Nawaz's spokesperson Mohammad Zubair, meanwhile, told DawnNewsTV that Zardari's reported remarks had been the PPP's party position, and the party had expressed similar views at a meeting of its Central Executive Committee (CEC) in Karachi in December.
Sources in the opposition parties earlier told Dawn that the JUI-F and the PML-N had decided to insist on their proposal of submitting en-masse resignations from the assemblies during the meeting. On the other hand, the PPP after a series of in-house consultations and brainstorming sessions decided to oppose the idea at any cost.
The JUI-F believes that after losing the elections of Senate chairman and deputy chairman despite having a majority, it has become imminent for the opposition parties to come out of the assemblies. Moreover, sources said, the JUI-F leadership was of the view that the Senate polls had also proved that their move to bring a no-confidence motion against the National Assembly speaker or the prime minister would be a futile exercise.
The PPP, meanwhile, believes that the opposition has gained much ground and political space after the recent by-elections in the country, noting that the victory of Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in the Senate elections caused a major dent in the ruling alliance. The PPP leaders believe that the by-polls and the Senate elections have strengthened the party position, therefore, the opposition should give a tough time to the government while staying in the assemblies instead of leaving the field open for the government.
More to follow.
Javed HussainPublished March 16, 2021 - Updated 3 minutes ago
Facebook Count
Twitter Share
0
PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and other opposition members attend the PDM meeting on Tuesday. — DawnNewsTV
PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday asked PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif to return to Pakistan before the joint opposition can go with the nuclear option of resigning from the assemblies in order to mount pressure on the PTI-led government, according to sources and media reports.
The former president put forward the demand in a crucial session of the opposition Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Islamabad, which is being held amid divisions within the alliance over the issue of submitting resignations from the assemblies at a time when its planned long march is just two weeks away.
Zardari, who like Nawaz addressed the meeting virtually, reportedly told the PML-N chief: "Mian sahab, we will hand over the resignations to you when you return home."
Nawaz has been living in London since November 2019 after he was allowed to leave the country for medical treatment.
Zardari further said if Nawaz wanted the opposition parties to resign en masse, "then not only us, but everyone will have to go to jail".
Talking about this month's hotly contested Senate elections, Zardari said the opposition parties had challenged the government in the polls but regretted that PML-N Senator-elect Ishaq Dar, who is living in the UK in self-exile, had not participated in the voting, according to reports.
"Nawaz Sharif sahib, return to the country along with Ishaq Dar; we will fight together," the PPP leader was quoted as saying during the meeting.
When asked to comment on Zardari's remarks, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb, without confirming or denying the reports, said they had been "leaked".
Nawaz's spokesperson Mohammad Zubair, meanwhile, told DawnNewsTV that Zardari's reported remarks had been the PPP's party position, and the party had expressed similar views at a meeting of its Central Executive Committee (CEC) in Karachi in December.
Sources in the opposition parties earlier told Dawn that the JUI-F and the PML-N had decided to insist on their proposal of submitting en-masse resignations from the assemblies during the meeting. On the other hand, the PPP after a series of in-house consultations and brainstorming sessions decided to oppose the idea at any cost.
The JUI-F believes that after losing the elections of Senate chairman and deputy chairman despite having a majority, it has become imminent for the opposition parties to come out of the assemblies. Moreover, sources said, the JUI-F leadership was of the view that the Senate polls had also proved that their move to bring a no-confidence motion against the National Assembly speaker or the prime minister would be a futile exercise.
The PPP, meanwhile, believes that the opposition has gained much ground and political space after the recent by-elections in the country, noting that the victory of Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in the Senate elections caused a major dent in the ruling alliance. The PPP leaders believe that the by-polls and the Senate elections have strengthened the party position, therefore, the opposition should give a tough time to the government while staying in the assemblies instead of leaving the field open for the government.
More to follow.
