APC decision to be followed, Nawaz tells Bilawal

LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif assured PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari of implementing All Parties Conference (APC) decisions and stressed convening APC soon. He not only contacted PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and discussed the political situation in the country but also contacted twice in the past 24 hours to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman. The former prime minister made a telephonic call to PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and discussed the prevailing political situation in the country. Nawaz Sharif assured JUI-F President Maulana Fazlur Rehman that his party would cooperate with the joint opposition in the future. Nawaz assured him of participating in a meeting of the Rahber Committee and proposed All Parties Conference of the opposition parties, which is likely to be held after Muharram to chalk out a strategy for an anti-government movement, sources told The News. Fazl put forward the complain of smaller opposition parties that the major parties like the PML-N and the PPP have been playing the role of friendly opposition in the parliament despite that they are signatory of a joint communiqué issued by the joint opposition parties soon after the 2018 elections that termed the PTI government a product of stolen, illegal and unconstitutional mandate.

Fazl complained that the mainstream opposition parties have been criticizing the PTI government outside the parliament but on the contrary, they have been supporting the ruling party in legislation inside the parliament without taking the other opposition parties into confidence.

Fazl demanded that to display seriousness in the joint opposition’s moves against the ‘illegal’ government and to command confidence among the masses on the issue, the PML-N and the PPP must come forward to extend practical support to the joint opposition, and participate in the Rahber Committee meeting and the proposed APC.

The sources said Fazl also advised Nawaz against appearing before the NAB, saying that the NAB is being used to harass and victimize opposition parties in the country. The sources said Nawaz regretted that there exists a communication gap between him and other opposition parties because he has been away from the country for quite some time, and assured that he would do the best to resolve the issue and would not disappoint the opposition parties leadership in the future. The sources said Nawaz suggested that all future decision-making should be held collectively and a decisive movement should be launched to remove the ‘illegal and unconstitutional’ government which has put the lives of people into misery.