Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday again asked the opposition parties’ alliance to come for dialogue with government on the forum of the Parliament keeping aside their agenda of escape from the accountability process. Talking to media here at Parliament House, he said that there would be nothing constructive happened in today’s meeting of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) at Jati Umra adding that PPP was being represented by Raja Parvez Ashraf and Yusaf Raza Gilani who were not in favor of resignations from assemblies in the past. He further said that both were respectful senior politicians but they were not having authority to take any decision.
He said that real decision power in the PPP was with Asif Ali Zardari. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that PDM leadership was holding a meeting at Jati Umra in Lahore today, but differences among the constituent parties of the alliance have already come forth. He said that PPP Central Executive Committee has decided that the party will take part in the upcoming by-elections and the Senate elections. He said that PPP CEC also decided that it will not tender resignations from assemblies. He further said that PPP has also not decided any date for long march.
He said that the PDM had earlier decided that their parliamentarians would submit their resignations to PDM President Maulana Fazal Rehman by December 31, but PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari opposed it, arguing that the resignations should rather be submitted to the heads of the parties. Qureshi said that this was enough proof of lack of confidence within the alliance. He said that now again they had given new deadline of January 31 which would also come and go like previous one.
He said that PPP’s majority leadership was against resignations from the Assemblies and they were not ready to quit from Sindh government. He categorically said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would not resign at all as he was enjoying mandate of the people. He said that if today’s meeting was so important why Bilawal decided to skip it. The Foreign Minister said that the nation understood the reality.
He said that Opposition alliance was unnatural and they should stop to make fun with nation and should show seriousness. He said that PDM parties had serious differences and did were not agree with each others viewpoint. Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that NRO is a way of escape from the accountability process. He said that opposition was exposed during the FATF legislation meeting, adding that they demanded 34 amendments. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was not ready at all for NRO as the PTI government was in favour of accountability process. He said that voices were raised from within JUI-F against the narrative of its chief, adding that his senior friends in the party showed reservations on it.
He said that a rally was being planned in Karachi “Na-Manzoor Israel’, but who recognized Israel. Condemning the incident of burning of a Hindu saint shrine by a mob in Karak, the foreign minister said that the Chief Justice has taken its notice, adding that it is an irresponsible act and an attempt to damage Pakistan’s image at international level. Replying a question, he said that Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir and Palestine issues was very clear, and the stance of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on these issues was a guiding principle for us.
Moreover, The minister said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf realised the need to abide by the Constitution and invited opposition parties for a dialogue in the parliament. “But set aside NRO,” he stressed. “We are ready to talk and exchange views on national issues.” Replying to a question, he said the nation had realised the parties constituting the PDM lacked understanding. “It is a temporary and unnatural alliance,” he said.
Responding to another question, he said NRO was a means to evade accountability and the opposition wish to get an NRO was apparent following the PPP and PML-N’s stance on amendments in the FATF-related legislation. He said the PTI believed in accountability and understood that there was a difference between accountability and revenge. “We never believed in revenge and nor do we now, but accountability should be ensured as it is the nation’s need and will,” stressed Qureshi. He said rifts within the JUI-F on the PDM’s narrative, too, were visible.
In response to another question, he said the opposition had united under the banner of the PDM to evade accountability and now, the “need to save the Sindh government and advance the PPP’s political agenda” had created rifts in the alliance. When asked about reports of Pakistan recognising Israel, Qureshi said there was no truth in the reports and that chapter was closed. Condemning the burning of a Hindu temple in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Karak district, he said it was an “irresponsible” act and called for elements who set the temple on fire to be brought to justice.
“If we want our mosques to be respected in India and other countries, we will have to respect mandirs, gurdwaras and churches here,” he said. He said the persons involved in such incidents damaged the image of Pakistan internationally and provided an opportunity to India and other forces working against Pakistan to do propaganda against it. On the other hand, Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan on Saturday claimed that internal differences within the ranks of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) exposed in today’s Jati Umrah meeting.
Talking to journalists, Firdous Ashiq Awan said that PMD’s leadership could not agree on a common agenda despite holding a six-hour-long session today. She maintained that PMD’s narrative had died in Jati Umrah. The special assistant said that the opposition parties had formed the alliance to protect their personal interests.
