-Opposes no-confidence motion against PM
-Backs ‘no-amendment’ in NAB Law
By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) has decided to participate in the upcoming Senate elections and political activities in the parliament. The PML-N leadership took this decision at a meeting of the parliamentary party chaired by Maryam Nawaz.
Speaking to the journalists following a parliamentary meeting of the PML-N in Islamabad, Maryam Nawaz said that Nawaz Sharif will not backtrack from his stance.
To a question, the PML-N leader said that they will oppose any move pertaining to amendment in NAB law.
To another question about Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) backdoor diplomacy, Maryam Nawaz said that she will not talk about “assumptions”.
According to details, Majority of PML-N leaders have opposed PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s suggestion to initiate no-confidence motions against Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The development came during a joint parliamentary meeting of PML-N’s MNAs and senators chaired by Maryam Nawaz at the August House on Monday. It was attended by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Raja Zafar ul Haq, Ahsan Iqbal, and Rana Sanaullah, among others, while photos representing Shahbaz Sharif and Khawaja Asif were placed on chairs in a bid to show solidarity to the imprisoned party leaders.
According to reports, the party members said a no-confidence motion would be contradictory to former premier Nawaz Sharif’s stance. They also pointed out that a majority is required in assemblies to make a no-confidence motion successful and lamented having to engage “with those who we want out” of the Parliament. Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the party should adopt an effective strategy both inside and outside the Parliament while Ali Gohar said the party will stand behind Maryam Nawaz when needed.
PML-N voice president Maryam Nawaz claimed the government was “pleading with the opposition” for dialogue and that the latter had decided not to talk to them.
She was responding to a question about government ministers meeting with members of the opposition to lower political temperatures in the country while talking to the media ahead of the PML-N’s parliamentary meeting at Parliament House in Islamabad.
Maryam said that the government would “God willing not get an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance)”. She added that if she “opened up about the way [the government] was pleading with the opposition and the way the opposition had decided to not talk to them about anything, [people] would be shocked”.
The PML-N vice president said that it did not matter how many times the government contacted members of the PML-N or any opposition party.
Last month, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had suggested the PDM bring no-confidence motions against the PTI governments at the Centre and in the provinces as part of the Opposition alliance’s anti-government campaign.
