APC after Muharram under Fazl

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has decided not to react to discussions and what has reportedly been transpired in a high-echelon meeting of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in Karachi where former president and party Chairman Asif Ali Zardari also spoke and seemingly criticized the PML-N.

The PML-N leadership has decided to ignore the stated criticism and opt to continue to perform its role for the poor masses and democracy.

The sources reminded that the ruling PTI has throughout been taking on the PML-N and people understand that criticism against it pleases the government party and it is an open secret that the rulers feel threatened by the PML-N and its leadership.

The unabated witch-hunt of the PML-N leadership is an evident example of that. The opposition parties have their own manifestos and approaches in dealing with the political affairs and one should not expect that a party being the partner while on the same side of the fence would follow the other fellows’ dictates, the sources maintained.

Sources said the PML-N would not compromise on the national interests and its siding with the government could be a figment of someone’s imagination alone that has no link with the ground realities.

They stressed that the national interests are supreme and should always stand above any political considerations.

The PML-N leadership is of view that creating any wedge among the opposition parties could be the desire of the government since such differences will serve the purpose of the rulers. It would not happen, as all opposition parties are on the same page as far the ruling party is concerned, they said.

Meanwhile, PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal has declined to offer any comment on the reported remarks of Asif Ali Zardari, which were attributed to him in the closed-door high level meeting of the PPP.

Ahsan is in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) for electioneering of his party, which was erstwhile in power in GB and quitted for the general elections in the area.

He was confident that the PML-N would return from GB with a landslide in the upcoming polls since Hafiz Hafeez ur Rehman of PML-N government had remarkably served the people in Gilgit-Baltistan during last five years.

To a query, he said polls must be free and fair in the area. “Rigging in the process would serve the cause of India and Pakistan’s enemies. The federal government should refrain from thinking of any unfair terms for the polls. The people of GB will resist any such attempt,” Ahsan Iqbal said.

To another query, he said the PML-N was all-out supporter of the All Parties Conference (APC), which was pioneered by Fazlur Rehman.

“The PML-N is maintaining contacts with Fazl for the purpose and as the schedule is decided for the conference, all opposition parties will join it. The steering (Rahbar) committee of the opposition will sit sometime soon to finalise its recommendations,” he reminded.

Ahsan said free and fair elections in the country were the only way forward to rid the government of the day.

“No other solution would help the nation and wouldn’t be in accordance with the aspirations of the people,” he added. He hinted that the APC will be held after Muharram under the auspices of Fazlur Rehman that will also be attended by the PML-N.

He said as soon PML-N President and opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif, PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Fazlur Rehman will have a joint meeting, misunderstanding, if any, would vanish.