Nawaz gives PML-N green signal on in-house change?

ISLAMABAD: The PML-N on Monday joined hands with the opposition parties and decided to go for an in-house change after seeking approval from the party's supremo, Nawaz Sharif, Geo News reported.

The decision, according to sources, has been taken to give a tough time to the PTI-led government. According to the report, the decision was made during a backdoor meeting with the PPP, while the PML-N has also contacted the JUI leadership to get it on board.

As per sources, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif will meet in a few days to discuss further strategies. Earlier, the PML-N was also not in favour of an in-house change proposed by another party in the PDM. Ahsan Iqbal had said that they were not in favour of in-house change as it was not a viable option.

Media had reported quoting a PMLN insider that his party was reluctant to favour the no-confidence move as long as the powers that be were fully backing Imran Khan.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, meanwhile, said that Imran Khan used to tell the people "not to worry" with the economic hardship but now we tell him to start worrying.

"wherever I go, the people ask one question that when the government will be dislodged and we want to say to the people of Pakistan that we will fulfil their demand and we are trying our best to send this government packing," he said while responding to a question that Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the next three months are vital for the government, during a press talk.

Bilawal said that we will keep opposing this callous government in and outside the Parliament. "We have decided to come from all over the country to Islamabad and protest against this government and send it home" he said. He said that the PPP had given a clear road map to hurt this government in the PDM and we cannot rule out any option including no-confidence motion.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan used to say that he would resign if 50 people ask him to resign. "He is glued to the government despite people's demand to resign," he said. Responding to a question, Bilawal said this mini-budget is another economic bomb on the common people. He said Imran Khan is imposing taxes on essential items used by the poor people of Pakistan like milk for infant, bicycle and sewing machines. "Imran Khan is surrendering the State Bank of Pakistan before the IMF," he said.

He said the prime minister himself had promised the nation that he would come to Parliament every Wednesday and give his answer. "We are still waiting for this Wednesday, don't know when that Wednesday will come," he said.

In a response to another question with regard to legislation regarding State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said SBP which is a national bank is being made subordinate to IMF instead of answering to Parliament and courts. "At the behest of the IMF, the SBP is being removed from the scope of the Parliament and the judiciary.

To another question regarding NAB, he said the PPP had already declared the NAB as a black law. "Now the NAB people themselves have been caught stealing and the NAB claims that it has recovered billions of rupee but here are no such record but they have to answer of every penny," he said.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari demanded that all NAB employees including chairman NAB should declare their assets. "It has to be stated how many assets were there before coming to NAB and how many are there now," he said.