Opposition’s APC decides to march on Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The All Parties Conference (APC) of the Opposition Monday announced anti-government march on Islamabad and its lockdown.

The Rehbar Committee has been tasked to formulate the recommendations and charter of demands within a week in this regard. The Rehbar Committee has also been tasked to finalise the proposed dates of anti-government march within a week and to put forward to APC scheduled to be held on August 29 for the approval.

The APC was held on Monday with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the chair. It was attended by PPP senior leaders including Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari, Senator Sherry Rehman and Farhatullah Babar. The PML-N was represented by Khawaja Asif, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Ahsan Iqbal. Akram Khan Durrani and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri of the JUI-F, Mian Ifthikar Hussain and Amir Haider Khan Hoti of the ANP, QWP chief Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and PkMAP chief Mehmood Khan Achackzai also attended the meeting.

PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari did not attend the meeting. Announcing the APC decisions in a press conference, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the decision to march on Islamabad has been taken against the government and for this purpose, the Rehbar Committee will finalise the recommendations on August 26 and the same will be presented before APC for approval so that the unanimous stance be taken on the charter of demands.

“We have directed Rehbar committee to formulate its recommendations for the charter of demands within a week so that APC leadership would have the same on August 29,” he said. He said the opposition parties have created a consensus to launch anti-government movement and this movement will only be concluded with the ouster of the government.

In reply to a question with regard to another tenure of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said it did not relate to politics as the government officials used to get such things in past also. “It should be kept aside from the politics,” he said.

He said there was a consensus among all the opposition parties that the present government had put the country in different crises and national security is at stake. “The economic situation is worse and even the USSR divided into pieces due to economic crisis and we are also facing similar situation,” he said.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the opposition and the whole nation stand with the people of Kashmir. He said the APC has demanded the international community and the United Nations to play a role in ending the ongoing curfew in the Indian-Held Kashmir (IHK).

Criticising the government, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the government has shown non-serious attitude in the joint session of Parliament on the issue of Kashmir. “Rather than taking credits on the Kashmir issue, the government should have to take the practical steps in this regard,” he said.

He said, “There is thinking how we will achieve Srinagar now as we are in worry how to save Muzaffarabad.” JUI-F chief said that Prime minister Imran Khan before Indian elections stated if Modi won, the Kashmir issue would be resolved and that was the solution, which Modi had given. “The results showing that US President Trump has also told them that Modi was about to take a decision and they should have to keep silent,” he said.

He was of the view, “We are victim of international conspiracy and our rulers were part of this conspiracy. Till I was Chairman of Kashmir Committee, no one have courage to make a sell on Kashmir but now they stabbed on the back of Kashmir issue,” he said.

He also demanded that the briefing should be given to Parliament and political leadership of the country on the issue of Kashmir. Maulana Fazlur Rehman said when he was the chairman of Kashmir Committee, no one had the courage to delete Article 370.

To a question with regard to absence of President PML-N Shahbaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari from the APC, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said they were not in meeting but they were represented by their respective party leaders who came to the APC with full mandate.

In reply to another question with regard to failure of opposition’s no-confidence motion against Senate chairman, he said one could imagine what happened in the no-confidence motion against Senate chairman then what kind of rigging took place in 2018 elections.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to PM on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan questioned why JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was speaking against the Pakistani interests instead of speaking against Modi.

Referring to the opposition's APC, she said the next episode of the opposition’s ‘let us play politics with each other’ was such that both PPP and PML-N had ditched Maulana Fazl with Shahbaz Sharif having pain in his back and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari busy in party organisational tours. “Those, who don’t speak the truth with one another, how can they speak truth to the nation,” she maintained.

In a number of tweets, she asked why JUI-F chief was spewing venom on Pakistan. “Maulana sahab! Don’t take revenge from the Kashmir cause of your political deprivations. Kashmir is our collective cause and the entire nation is united on this count: don’t play your politics on national unity,” she asserted.

She claimed agenda of Maulana Fazl and of PPP and PML-N was in conflict and asked him to part ways with both these parties and ‘raise your voice in support of Kashmiris’. She pointed out Maulana Sahab had been chairman of the Kashmir committee for many years and enjoyed protocol, asking him what his performance was with regard to Kashmir. “What have been your achievements for the success of the freedom movement,” she asked.

On the contrary, she said Prime Minister Imran Khan had emerged as the biggest advocate and ‘spokesperson’ of Kashmiris and highlighted the Kashmir cause at global forums in an unprecedented way and took it up with world leaders. She claimed the recent UN Security Council meeting was Pakistan’s diplomatic victory and defeat of Indian diplomacy.