Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto has advised his party leaders and media teams to avoid any critical commentary on Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) following the fissure within the opposition alliance on the strategy that emerged after Asif Ali Zardari’s demand of return of Nawaz Sharif before en masse resignations can come to pass.
According to the reports divulging from within party circles, Bilawal has instructed PPP leaders and responsible people overseeing media to refrain from any harsh comments to PDM which may weaken the opposition against the incumbent government.
Bilawal has instructed the leaders who appear before the media to make sure they don’t react to criticism in a way that compromises the opposition alliance’s agenda against the government.
Separately to be reported today according to sources, PPP and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) have agreed to cooperate with each other in the next elections after Bilawal Bhutto met Siraj ul Haq yesterday at Mansoora in Lahore.
According to the details agreed by the two parties and shared by sources having knowledge of the entire discussion, the PPP wanted cooperation from Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Sindh provinces.
“Besides the future cooperation, the JI also extended its support to PPP for opposition leader in Senate,” they said while quoting Siraj ul Haq who said during the meeting that since PPP has the majority seats, it has the right to have the slot of the opposition leader.
Notably, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday mocked PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and said that “there is a family in Lahore who used to get selected in the past”. “If I wanted to comment on the PML-N’s vice-president, I would have asked my [party’s] vice-president to comment on it,” said Bilawal when a reporter asked the PPP chairman whether Maryam Nawaz took a dig at him by saying that “another selected was being prepared.”
No rough day at all particularly when you know what’s happening & why. Tbh,the one who should be really worried is the Selected bcoz he is being seen as a ‘spent force’ & his substitute is being fostered. Btw, I am not liking the tweet but responding directly 😜 @CherieDamour_ https://t.co/P4adReJD9Q
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) March 17, 2021
“There is no such blood in our veins to become selected. There is a political family from Lahore with such background,” he added.
Responding to another question, Bilawal said the PDM’s long march should not have been delayed adding that PPP was well prepared for the long march. “The resignations were linked to the long march ten days before the Islamabad march.”
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Pakistan Peoples Party will take a final decision regarding the matter of resignations in the CEC meeting.
Yesterday it was reported that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz apprised Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman it seemed Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) was seeking a pretext to quit the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
The sources privy to the matter claimed that Maryam Nawaz, during yesterday’s meeting in Jati Umrah, urged Maulana Fazlur Rehman to reorganize the opposition’s alliance. She was of the view that they should not waste the time as PML-N and JUI-F can run the anti-government drive effectively.
During the PDM summit on the last Tuesday, the PPP had flatly refused to resign from the assemblies, while the PML-N declined to recall Nawaz Sharif from London. On the other hand, Fazl demanded accountability over the defeat of Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri in the election for the post of Senate deputy chairman.
On Thursday, the PDM president insisted that the support of people was considered of utmost importance in the success of any movement. “Whether anyone stays or leaves [the alliance], the journey towards the destination will continue. The only thing that matters is whether your stance is supported by the people or not.” Fazl vowed to give the incumbent regime a tough time.
PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Thursday spoke on the phone and agreed to continue the anti-government movement even if the PPP decides not to become a part of it.
According to sources, both the leaders deliberated on the future course of action and the unity of PDM. – an 11-party opposition alliance – was formed in last September with the avowed aim to dislodge the incumbent regime.
Sources said that Nawaz and Fazl discussed the issue of resignations from assemblies and the long march, which had been postponed due to the PPP’s refusal to quit the assemblies.
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Both the leaders agreed to wait for the return of PPP after the party’s consultations with its central executive committee (CEC) on the issue of resignations. However, insiders said, Nawaz and Fazl consented to continue the anti-government movement even if the PPP decides not to become a part of the alliance.
They further noted that the nine parties of the PDM would decide the future course of action and maintained that a meeting of the PDM would be called after the PPP’s decision.