PPP, PML-N agree to call APC after Eid-ul-Adha

LAHORE: The Opposition had agreed to call an All-Parties Conference (APC) immediately after Eid-ul-Adha to work out a joint action plan “to rid the nation of PTI government” that was “responsible for the country’s economic woes and internal and external challenges”, announced PPP and PML-N leaders at a joint press conference after a meeting, here on Monday.

The two main opposition parties reached the decision after a PML-N delegation called on PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari at Bilawal House, Lahore. Besides the APC, country’s overall political situation, price hike, and other issues were discussed in the meeting.

The two parties announced that a joint action committee was being set up comprising leaders from opposition parties to formulate a joint strategy against the government. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Khawaja Asif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Sanullah and Marriyum Aurangzeb; Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehman, Farhatullah Babar and Nayyar Bukhari; Awami National Party’s (ANP) Mian Ifthikar and Ameer Haider Khan; and Senator Mir Kabeer Shahi from the National Party would be part of the committee.

Talking to the media after the meeting with the PPP leadership, PML-N stalwart Ahsan Iqbal said the PPP and the PML-N agreed that the current government was to blame for the country’s prevailing economic crisis. “No state in the 21st century can continue to exist with such a floundered economy,” he said, adding improving the people’s standard of living was out of the question as the government was making life extremely hard for the masses.

“The one who had a car, is now [left with] a motorbike. The one who had a motorbike is now walking [due to poor economic conditions]. People cannot afford education for their children. The labourers, the farmers and graduates with degrees are worried,” he added.

He said Pakistan was facing internal and external threats due to the incumbent government. “Getting rid of this government is in line with the aspirations of the people of Pakistan,” he said. “An All-Parties Conference will be called immediately after Eid-ul-Adha with consultations of all parties.”

Iqbal said the government by using Financial Action Task Force’s conditions as an excuse was trying to enact a law that was “not the NAB’s father but its grandfather”.

He maintained the government was bringing a law according to which authorities could have any person arrested for 90 days without bail. “After [the 90 days], the remand can be extended for another 90 days without bail. And the order will be issued by the secretary interior and the Punjab home secretary,” he added.

The PML-N leader said any media worker, politician, political workers, trader or businessman could be sent to prison by the government on a bogus chit prepared by prosecutors that accused an individual of the transfer of money through Hawala/Hundi. “We cannot allow the government to impose ‘black laws’ on Pakistan under the garb of FATF due to which individual freedom of expression is suppressed,” he said.

PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said “NAB-Niazi nexus” was increasing its role day-by-day. He said there was not a single opposition leader in Pakistan today who had not suffered illegal detention or isolation and torture at the hands of the NAB.

He slammed the government for keeping opposition leaders Khursheed Shah and Hamza Shahbaz in detention. “This government is also responsible for suffocating the media,” he added. The PPP leader reprimanded authorities for arresting Jang and Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and called for his immediate release.

In response to a question, Kaira said both parties were in agreement that the incumbent government was the “problem” and that they must work to rid the nation of it.“I have already said that this government is the problem,” he said. “Both parties agree that the country must get rid of this government, “he said.