Thaw in ties: Zardari, Shahbaz enter parliament together

ISLAMABAD: In an apparent thaw between the PPP and PML-N, Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari entered the Parliament together while exchanging pleasantries.

Though a meeting between Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif could not be held despite all-out efforts of the chief of the JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman yet Zardari and Shahbaz held an informal meeting in the lobby of the National Assembly. According to sources, it was decided during the meeting to continue the parliamentary cooperation. After attending the sitting of the National Assembly, Zardari left the Parliament House. He told journalists while leaving that there was no update on the proposed All Parties Conference of the opposition parties. Shahbaz said he and Zardari inquired about each other’s well being. To a question about the All Parties Conference, he said he will respond after consultations with the party.

Earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) brought Shahbaz Sharif to the National Assembly with some delay due to which he could not attend the PML-N parliamentary party meeting. Talking to media persons on his arrival in the Parliament House on the production orders of Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Shahbaz Sharif said the NAB did not want to bring him as first it made an excuse that the flight was delayed and then it said seat was not available. “They brought me through the Motorway despite my backache," he complained.

Meanwhile, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said his party will attend the All Parties Conference. “Maulana Fazlur Rehman is convening the APC and the PPP will attend it,” Bilawal said in a brief reply to media persons before leaving the Parliament House. He did not divulge whether the top leadership of the PPP, including him or Zardari, will attend the conference. However, sources said the PPP had conveyed to the JUI-F chief that Zardari will attend the meeting only if Nawaz Sharif attends it. It was conveyed that the PPP delegation comprising Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Syed Khursheed Shah will attend the conference in case Nawaz Sharif opts not to attend it.