From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Senior Pakistan People’s Party leadership on Tuesday blamed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) for playing a friendly opposition role with an exception of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who pinned hope for launching a joint opposition movement against the incumbent government.
According to sources, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto chaired a meeting of senior party leadership in Punjab province, where they burst out over the delaying tactics of PML-N for holding an opposition-led multi-party conference.
“How could a party support us in running an anti-government campaign when it is trying to delay a multi-party conference to devise a course of action?” sources quoted the PPP leaders as saying.
They were of the view that PML-N does not want the opposition to move forward on the suggestions of Bilawal Bhutto. “They still consider Bilawal Bhutto as a real threat to their politics in Punjab province,” the PPP leaders said
According to sources, the PPP chairman while setting aside the reservations raised by the party’s Punjab leadership said that they had to unite the opposition against the incumbent government rather than paying heed to rumours against each other.
“We will launch a movement alone against the government even if nobody supports us,” Bilawal said during the meeting while reiterating that they would not tolerate any attack on the constitution and rights of the provinces. It is pertinent to mention here that a PML-N delegation called on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari a day before to discuss preparations for the upcoming All Parties Conference (APC) of opposition parties after Shehbaz Sharif refused to meet the latter.
Three-member PML-N delegation comprising Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Saad Rafique met Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at Bilawal House where PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Chaudhry Manzoor and Syed Hassan Murtaza were also present.Leaders from both parties discussed the APC agenda and discuss future political strategy.
Earlier, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) delegation called on Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to discuss preparations for the upcoming All Parties Conference (APC) of opposition parties.Three-member PML-N delegation comprising Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Saad Rafique met Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at Bilawal House where PPP’s Qamar Zaman Kaira, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Chaudhry Manzoor and Syed Hassan Murtaza were also present.
Leaders from both parties discussed the APC agenda and discuss future political strategy.
It may be noted that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif had refused to meet Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari citing health issues. Bilawal Bhutto, who is visiting Lahore, approached the PML-N president and had expressed his desire to meet him for holding a long-awaited multi-party conference of the opposition parties.
However, Shehbaz Sharif had refused to meet him citing his health issues, the sources had said. It is pertinent to mention here that earlier on July 07, cracks started to appear between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaderships after the latter showed no interest in mounting pressure on the incumbent federal government.
