Nawaz, Zardari meeting on the cards: PML-N, PPP sing the same tune

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) have finally decided to resort to agitation in case their leaders Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari were arrested in their respective cases.

The PML-N on Thursday decided to start a mass contact movement and give a “tough time” to the government if the accountability court sentenced former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in the remaining two corruption references against him.

Nawaz and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif chaired a party meeting at the Parliament House during which the court’s verdicts, which will be announced on December 24, and the current political situation of the country were discussed.

Raja Zafarul Haq, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Hamza Shahbaz were among the senior party leaders who attended the meeting. The meeting also decided to contact other opposition parties to seek their support for any expected movement and joint strategy inside the parliament against what the meeting termed as political victimisation of government opponents.

“The people of Pakistan are aware of the reasons behind the cases against me,” Nawaz Sharif told the media on his arrival at the Parliament House. The meeting was to be held in a committee room of the Parliament House, but the venue had to be shifted to the opposition leader’s chamber after Nawaz Sharif wasn’t allowed for not being a member of the parliament.

The party meeting discussed the current political situation and the plan of action for the December 24 accountability court’s decision against Nawaz Sharif. It was decided that Nawaz Sharif would address the main function in Lahore on December 30 in connection with the PML-N’s founding day along with other party leaders if the court’s verdict comes in his favour. Otherwise, the party leadership would announce a mass contact campaign at the convention on December 30.

“All cases against us are based on assumptions and I leave my decision to Almighty Allah and the people,” Nawaz said while addressing the meeting. He said that he used politics as a source of service and not for the purpose of corruption. “My family and I have previously faced accountability and came out as successful,” he said.

It was also decided to appoint an advisory board to run affairs of the party in case Nawaz Sharif was convicted on December 24. The advisory board will be formed prior to date of decision and Shahbaz after consultations will forward names of advisory board members to Nawaz for approval.

The sources said that Nawaz directed the party membership that structure should be completed by March 23 and urged the party members to stay in contact with the people. Nawaz also directed that the party should be active on social media and formed a committee under the chairmanship of Marriyum Aurangzeb which will contact media and respond to the government’s propaganda on social media.

Prior to start of the meeting, Nawaz Sharif told media that the country progressed on every front whenever the PML-N came to power. "We ended loadshedding, terrorism, made motorways, initiated mega projects like CPEC while the international community recognised the development projects we initiated,” he said.

The former premier said the PML-N government enhanced national defence to the maximum level. He also criticised the rising inflation which has drastically impacted the poor. "We had limited inflation rate but the incumbent government has brought it to a drastic level and the poor do not know what they should do now,” he said. He pointed out that a family had to purchase its ration for Rs16,000 which was previously available for Rs10,000.

Earlier, Shahbaz Sharif received Nawaz Sharif on his arrival at the Parliament House and both held one-on-one meeting during which the accountability court’s verdicts in the remaining two corruption references against Nawaz and other matters were discussed.

An accountability court on Wednesday reserved verdicts in the remaining two corruption references against Nawaz Sharif. The court will announce its verdicts in Flagship Investment and Al-Azizia references against the Sharif family on December 24.

The PPP has also formulated a strategy for countrywide protests in case of arrest of Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in fake bank accounts scam

Zardari and Faryal Talpur will appear before the Banking Court in Karachi for extension of their anticipatory bail today (Friday) and the party has already directed all of his parliamentarians and members of Sindh Assembly to reach outside the Banking Court in Karachi.

Bilawal had already announced to start countrywide protests against political victimisation and directed the party’s top cadre and workers to get ready for the call.

On legal battle with the PTI, the PPP leaders including Senator Farhatullah Babar, Dr Nafeesa Shah and Chaudhry Manzooor on Thursday submitted applications in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for details of assets of Imran Khan and his sister Aleema Khan and also the record of the nomination papers of Imran Khan of all those elections in which he contested so far. Sources in the PPP said the party will also submit applications in the ECP for seeking asset details of key members of the PTI and cabinet members.

Bilawal has also summoned a meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the PPP on December 26, on the eve of 11th death anniversary of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto at Naudero in Larkana to formulate the party’s future strategy.

The party sources said the detailed PPP’s protest strategy would be announced in the public rally on December 27 at Garhi Khuda Bux in Larkana.

Meanwhile, PPP senior leader Syed Khursheed Shah supported the meeting between Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif saying when both are in Islamabad, the meeting could take place.

“When Asif Ali Zardari will be in Islamabad, the meeting with Nawaz Sharif could be held,” he said in response to a question in a press talk with the media persons here at the Parliament House after his meeting with Opposition Leader in the National Shahbaz Sharif.

Khursheed Shah said the government was creating political uncertainty itself when it talks about the mid-term elections.

“But we wanted that in continuation of the Parliament and the current political situation, the meeting between Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif could be held,” he said.

In reply to questions with regard to arrest of Asif Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur in fake bank accounts scam, Khursheed Shah said there was no direct allegation against Zardari and Talpur in this case, which is false and fabricated.

“If they have any proof then they have to prove it in the courts but if they use the force and another martial law in the name of the democracy and law of jungle then it is another thing,” he said.

“Only on Thursday they put the burden of Rs130 billion to poor people of Pakistan by raising the electricity tariffs,” he said, adding that they came with the slogans and promises of giving shelter, bread and butter and employments to the people but instead they had snatched these things from the people.