–JUI-F chief conveys Zardari’s message seeking Nawaz’s presence on moot
–PML-N supremo reluctant to support Zardari with money laundering probe
ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Wednesday conveyed Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s message to former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif and urged him to personally attend the All Parties Conference (APC) to be convened by JUI-F on October 31.
“During the phone call, Nawaz informed Fazl that he was still mourning the death of his late wife, Kulsoom Nawaz, and was not participating in any political activities. He also said that he had directed the party to send a high-level delegation to attend the APC,” sources informed Pakistan Today.
They added that Fazl urged Nawaz to attend the moot himself because if he did not, the PPP also planned to downgrade its participation. “Maulana [Fazl] told him [Nawaz] that if he did not attend the conference, both Asif Ali Zardari and PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would also skip it.”
Nawaz also said that he was in Lahore and might not be available on October 31, to which Fazl offered to reschedule the conference, sources added.
“Zardari desperately needs the opposition’s support to save himself and his sister from the ongoing money laundering probes. Nawaz understands Zardari’s situation but when the former was facing court cases and wanted the PPP’s support… he did not get any,” sources said.
“He [Nawaz] knows that Zardari cannot be trusted. Zardari has ditched the Sharifs in the past and might do so again. Moreover, Mian Sahab does not want to strain his relations with the judiciary and other state institutions as his cases and those of Shehbaz Sharif are still pending.”
Sources further said that Nawaz would convene a party meeting very soon to decide if he would be attending the APC or not.
