Opposition’s APC chalks out anti-govt strategy today

ISLAMABAD: The opposition’s All Parties Conference (APC) is set to be held on Wednesday (today) to chalk out a strategy against the government and make other important decisions.

All eyes are focused on whether or not the opposition will reach a consensus for launching an anti-government movement, as JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman wants to launch a movement and lock down Islamabad to remove the government but the PPP and PML-N differ with him and want to focus on parliamentary struggle.

Hosted by Fazlur Rehman, the APC will be participated by the PPP, PML-N, ANP, National Party and PKMAP, while Jamaat-e-Islami has refused to attend. Government ally — BNP (Mengal) — was also invited to attend the APC but its leadership was undecided and conveyed to Fazl that they will make a decision on Wednesday morning.

Though the agenda of the APC has not been shared with the participants, it is expected that the APC will follow its decision which emerged at an Iftar dinner, hosted by the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, that an anti-government strategy would be devised.

The PML-N delegation would be headed by its President and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Khawaja Asif.

Interestingly, the PPP is undecided on the participation of its Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, as its parliamentary party will take a decision on it in its meeting before the APC today.

Bilawal has nominated a five-member delegation of the party for participation in the APC.

The delegation comprises former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Mian Raza Rabbani, Nayyer Bukhari, Sherry Rehman and Farhatullah Babar.

Secretary General PPP Parliamentarians Farhatullah Babar said the parliamentary party meeting at 10 am will decide about Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari's participation in the APC.