With differences apparently coming to the fore among ranks of the opposition alliance as the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) seems to be stepping back from confrontation, a statement by former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif has raised quite a few eyebrows.
Talking about the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) Tuesday meeting, Nawaz told reporters in London that the long march “was set to be held on its time”, but the PPP had sought time to discuss the issue of the resignation in its Central Executive Committee (CEC) due to “reasons you already know”.
He, however, dodged a question pertaining to the possibility of a deal being struck, “a consequence of which could be delays in joint opposition’s anti-govt plans, as sought by the PPP time and again over the past several months”.
Earlier in the day, PPP Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari urged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo to return to Pakistan to strengthen the PDM.
The two senior leaders spoke during the meeting of the anti-government alliance, wherein the former president told Nawaz that he must be ready to go to jail if they wish to fight against the establishment.
Zardari said that he remained in jail for 14 years. He urged the PML-N supremo to return to the country at the earliest. He complained that PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar did not come to Pakistan to cast his vote in the Senate election.
“The struggle against the establishment should be aimed at achieving democratic stability, instead of settling personal scores,” Zardari told the meeting.
Nawaz, who attended the meeting through video link, was told that he needs to return whether the PDM moves forward with a long march or a no-confidence motion. Zardari further said that Nawaz’s presence was extremely important to secure support from Punjab.
Speaking to Nawaz about the idea of mass resignations, Zardari maintained that such a move would only help PM Imran Khan and the members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
He further stated that no move would be made to divide the parties of the PDM, emphasising that their war is within the parliament, not from the mountains.
“When you return to Pakistan, we will hand over our resignations to you,” Zardari added, urging both Sharif and Dar to return.
Defending her father, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz stressed that her father’s “life is in danger” and questioned how he could return under the circumstances.
“Does Zardari sahab guarantee that my father’s life will not be in danger in Pakistan?”
Maryam then reportedly said that she is there “of her own accord”.
“Just like you are on video link, so is Mian sahab,” she said.
She said that Nawaz’s life is “threatened under NAB custody” and that he had suffered “two heart attacks while in jail”.
While the episode has “exposed” cracks within the opposition alliance which analysts say have now been there for a long time, reports claim Zardari later apologised to Maryam.
“It was never my intent to have you apologise. I merely considered myself a daughter to you and complained as Bakhtawar or Aseefa would,” Maryam reportedly told the former president.
