- PPP co-chairman chooses to support PML-N govt despite stiff resistance from leaders like Gilani and Kaira who wanted party to back Imran Khan and Qadri
- Former PPP MNA says party workers in Punjab are in favour of poll audit, believe PML-N stole their mandate
Despite hectic lobbying by some senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders to convince their co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari against extending support to the embattled Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government, the former president made it clear Saturday that he was standing firm behind Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
“During the recent meeting of the PPP top leadership held in Dubai last week, top PPP leaders from Punjab, including Yousaf Raza Gilani and Qamar Zaman Kaira, had urged the party leadership to support the demands of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT). However, by avoiding meetings with PTI chief Imran Khan and PAT chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, Zardari has made it clear which side of the fence he is standing in this political impasse,” said a senior PPP leader, asking not to be named.
The former president spent a busy day in Lahore during which he had a luncheon meeting with Prime Minister Sharif at his Jaati Umra estate followed by a one-on-one and then delegation-level meetings. Zardari then called on Jamaat-e-Islami chief Sirajul Haq at Mansoora and also visited the residence of the Chaudhrys of Gujrat in Gulberg. Siraj’s JI is a coalition partner of PTI in KP government while the Chaudhrys are supporting Qadri’s PAT.
The PPP leader who spoke to Pakistan Today, believed that Zardari should have shown neutrality in the current political standoff and he should have flown to Islamabad to meet Imran Khan and Qadri.
He said the PPP leaders would voice their concerns over the matter during the upcoming meeting of the party’s central executive committee (CEC) scheduled to be held in Bilawal House on Monday.
Commenting on the issue, former PPP member of the National Assembly, Nadeem Afzal Gondal said that 99 per cent of the party’s workers in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan “hated” Nawaz Sharif and they wanted the party leadership to take a stand against the alleged rigging in the 2013 elections.
“The party workers believe that Nawaz Sharif has always (mis)used the Establishment against the PPP leadership to remain in power. Now the same Nawaz Sharif wants the PPP to save it from the Establishment’s ire,” he said, adding that the party workers also feel that the PML-N has stolen the mandate of the people in the 2013 elections and a vote audit must be conducted.
Political commentator Dr Rasool Bux Raees said that by not meeting either Imran or Qadri, Zardari had sent a clear message that he stands by the political forces supporting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
He added that the PPP leader had clearly stated that his party would support a dialogue which would be held under the constitutional parameters and guidelines prescribed by the political parties having representation in the parliament.
P.t.i.’s offer was the max wht thy can….thy even retreated frm their stand point…. tht p.m. go on leave for 1 month & tribunal held inquiry….
If Mr. Zardari does’nt appear in the scene to boost up moraal of Pmln thn thr was strong probability tht pmln may hv accept it….but now thy r not….i strongly believe tht this entry of A.Z. was not a coincidence but according to the script…& pmln played like a goof….climax scene s quite near n thn whole Act ll b concluded….every player s playing his part perfectly…..
Zardari has done another muk-maka with Nawaz Sharif in spite of opposition from his PPP Punjab. The fight against Nawaz Sharif steeling peoples mandate through systemic rigging (dhandli) must continue till the entire fraud is fully exposed and the guilty are brought before the law. Otherwise Pakistani people's suffering will multiply which has to be resisted
Righteousness will prevail, always does, the silent majority have almost awoken and will have their say and then all these corrupt leaders and generals will have no where to hide, these people are a curse on us.
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