Govt rejects PDM’s ultimatum: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Tuesday, “speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister”, categorically rejected the “undemocratic and unconstitutional” demands of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), which threatened a day earlier to march on Islamabad if the Premier does not step down by the end of January.

Addressing a news conference here, Qureshi said the country could not be run on the “whims of somebody”. “Prime Minister Imran Khan will not step down and the assemblies will not be dissolved,” he added emphatically.

According to state media, the minister said the incumbent government enjoyed the mandate of the people and secured millions of votes in the 2018 general elections. The foreign minister, who is also the vice chairman of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), regretted that the opposition parties were “prioritising the personal interests over the national interests”.

He reiterated the government’s frequent talking point, calling for negotiations on national issues, while “putting aside personal interests”. “We are ready for talks on electoral reforms, issues of inflation, provincial autonomy and the NFC (National Finance Commission) [awards],” he said.

Referring to the PDM statement on the time for dialogue being passed, the foreign minister said: “The doors of negotiations in politics are never shut.” He added that the posture of opposition parties “may damage democracy”.

Qureshi said the alliance of opposition parties had failed to mobilise public support, adding that people showed their indifference to the Lahore gathering which was “a meaningless activity as it carried no new announcement”.

Qureshi said there was no consensus amongst the PDM over the issue of resignations from the assemblies as well as the long march. He added that the PPP’s policy was “ambiguous” as the decisions of the party were not being made by party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari but former president Asif Ali Zardari.

He also claimed that the PML-N was also divided on quitting the assemblies. “There are clear differences between the groups of Shahbaz Sharif and that of Maryam Nawaz,” he added.

Bilawal, meanwhile, met the opposition leader in Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore, following which he once again called on the Prime Minister to resign and described the resignations as “atom bombs” in the hands of the opposition, according to Geo News.

Speaking to reporters outside the prison, the PPP chairman said how the “atomic bomb” is used will be devised by the 11-party alliance. He also dismissed reports that his party was against resignations. “The PDM unanimously decided that its lawmakers will hand over resignations to their party chiefs by December 31.”

Bilawal also said the opposition had made up its mind that the government had to be removed. “This is the only way to pull the country out of the crisis. Their deadline is January 31 and today, through these cameras, I want to give a message to Prime Minister Imran Khan: Resign.”