Bilawal disowns Rehman Malik’s statement: PPP reposes full confidence in Shahbaz as NA opposition leader

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party Wednesday kept a distance from the statement of Rehman Malik who stated that the PPP should have to get a slot of the opposition leader in the National Assembly if the no-trust motion against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani succeeded and said that all the opposition is united on reposing the confidence on the opposition leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif.

“Opposition is united and it has reposed full confidence on the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly,” said Senator Mustafa Kokhar, spokesman of Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a statement on Wednesday.

He said that the victory of PPP in Ghotki by-election sends a clear message to “Selected Prime Minister” Imran Khan. He said that the barely intact majority of Imran Khan has now started shrinking. “The PTI will have to face a similar defeat in the No Confidence Motion against Chairman Senate,” he said.

The statement of the Senator Mustafa Nawaz Kokhar comes after the PML-N has protested with the PPP leadership and sought the party position on it.

According to sources, the PML-N has lodged the complaint with the PPP on the remarks of senior leader on the change of opposition leader in the National Assembly following the success of the no-trust motion against the Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani and was of the opinion that such kind of statements only create the mistrust the opposition parties.

Later on former speaker National Assembly and senior leader of the PML-N Sardar Ayaz Sadiq has taken strong exception of the remarks of the Senator Rehman Malik and termed it against the unity of the opposition and demanded from the PPP to seek explanation from Senator Rehman Malik on this statement.

He said the remarks of Senator Rehman Malik made a statement at critical time when the opposition was all set for voting on the no-trust motion against the Senate Chairman and to elect new Chairman. “Senator Rehman Malik should explain what the need of making such a statement when the people were looking towards the opposition and through such statement a negative impression was going to the people,” he said.

While in an explanatory statement, Ex-Interior Minister and Chairman Senate’s Committee on Interior senator Rehman Malik said that he was a part of the combined opposition and will remain part of it. “The no-trust motion of the opposition is a democratic which will get success,” he said.

Senator Rehman Malik said his statement with regard to opposition leader in the National Assembly was of his personal point of view and it has nothing to do with the party. “My remarks with regard to change of the opposition leader in the National Assembly was in a spontaneously response to a question of the journalist and it was his personal view but it was presented out of context,” he said, adding that if Ayaz Sadiq asked me before making any statement then he would explain him so he did not feel to issue any statement. Senator Rehman Malik

said in his remarks he also said that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is a future Prime Minister of the country.

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If talks held, it will include Azad Kashmir: Indian minister

By News report

NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh said in Parliament on Wednesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi didn’t discuss Kashmir with US president Donald Trump and ruled out any possibility of mediation on the issue, international media reported.

“As S Jaishankar ji (External Affairs Minister) said Kashmir issue was not discussed in President Trump and PM Modi meeting. There is no question of mediation in Kashmir issue as it will be against the Simla agreement,” Rajnath Singh said in Lok Sabha.

Kashmir is an issue of national pride for us. We can never compromise with it... if there would be any talks with Pakistan over Kashmir, it will also include Pakistan-administered Kashmir (Azad Kashmir), Singh said.

Both houses of Indian Parliament —Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha—witnessed protests over Trump’s stunning claim. The opposition, led by the Congress, demanded a statement by PM Modi.

The opposition continued its demand on Wednesday and staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha.