Nawaz-Shahbaz long meeting fuels speculations

LAHORE: An unscheduled long meeting took place between Mian Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif-led delegation of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) at the Kot Lakhpat Jail Monday.

Top PML-N leaders say the party president briefed Nawaz Sharif about Sunday’s consultations with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief about launching a protest movement against the PTI government. The party leadership had been given green signal by Nawaz Sharif for fully supporting the lockdown, announced by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, against the PTI government. Nawaz Sharif directed Shahbaz Sharif to fully support and participate in the opposition’s protest, being dubbed as ‘Azadi March’ against the government, the party leaders added. A task has been given to Ahsan Iqbal to also persuade Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to join the opposition show, said the party leaders.

Nawaz Sharif also discussed several issues with the party president. Besides Ahsan Iqbal, Khwaja Asif, Azam Nazir Tarar, Amjad Pervaiz and Khwaja Haris also attended the meeting.

As the Sharif family members and the PML-N leaders usually meet Nawaz Sharif on Thursdays only, Monday’s unscheduled meeting between the top party leaders and the PML-N supremo set the rumour mill churning out speculations. According to sources, the meeting was allowed at the eleventh hour by the Ministry of Interior, which continued for several hours. Mian Nawaz Sharif’s legal team was also part of the PML-N delegation, and later on remained there for over an hour. Nawaz met his party leaders for over three hours.

However, senior party leaders dispelled the impression of any settlement with the ruling party regarding release of Nawaz Sharif. It is still interesting to note that PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal did not directly comment on the rumours about a possible deal, while sharing his views at the social media site.

However, he hastened to add that legal team of Nawaz Sharif also joined the visiting delegation for reviewing various aspects of an appeal in Islamabad High Court, which is due to be heard on Sept 18. He was responding to a post in which astonishment was expressed over the fact that how the government permitted such a large gathering of the party leaders at the jail when even the family doctor was not permitted to meet the ailing former premier. The fact that the opposition parties are also preparing to launch a full-fledged protest campaign against the government in about a month’s time is also contrary to the permission granted for the meeting.

In another post, Ahsan categorically said that his party would not compromise (on principles) and pardon the incumbent government. He said Imran Khan would have to be answerable for, what he called, negatively impacting the whole economy.

Sources said Shahbaz apparently was not fully convinced to go ahead with the demonstration plans to oust the government in near future. He reportedly asked his elder brother to reconsider launching of a campaign against the ruling party, saying this would be a decisive action by the opposition. However, Nawaz Sharif insisted that full-scale drive must be launched against the regime, added the sources. According to the party leaders, the PML-N president floated the idea of rescheduling the sit-in, keeping in view prevalent situation of the country. But again, Nawaz Sharif stressed that every possible effort should be made to save the national institutions.

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Pakistan urges OIC to halt Israel’s unlawful actions in W Bank

By Mariana Baabar

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Monday said the unilateral and irresponsible announcement made by the Israeli prime minister was in violation of the UNSC resolutions and principles of international law and urged the OIC to ask Israel to halt its unlawful actions.

The Foreign Office said the Israeli prime minister intended to annex territories in the occupied West Bank to perpetuate occupation and further disenfranchise Palestinians in the event of winning Israeli elections, which was a dangerous development.

“Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training Shafqat Mehmood led the Pakistani delegation in the extraordinary meeting, which was chaired by Saudi Arabia, and pointed out that the unilateral and irresponsible announcement made by the Israeli prime minister was in violation of the UNSC resolutions and principles of international law, said the Foreign Office.

The 16th extraordinary meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) was held at the OIC Secretariat, Jeddah on 15th September.

The meeting was called by the OIC Secretariat at the request of Saudi Arabia as the Chair of 14th Islamic Summit.

The minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s full solidarity with the Palestinian cause and reiterated Pakistan’s principled position that establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital, is the only way to bring peace and stability in Middle East.

He highlighted the similar nature of freedom struggles in Palestine and Kashmir, which have been subjected to collective punishment, state sanctioned terror and unspeakable sufferings.

Speaking on the suffering of Kashmiris, the minister said the people of Kashmir had been locked into a giant prison since 5 August, 2019, with their telephones and communications cut off, their young boys abducted from their houses in the middle of night and subjected to torture, their political leaders arrested and imprisoned, and their access to health services and life savings drugs curtailed.

“Represented Pakistan at the emergency OIC meeting in Jeddah, KSA. Spoke forcefully on the atrocities being committed by Modi on the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir,” Shafqat Mehmood Tweeted.

He said the Indian claims of normalcy and ease of restrictions were being consistently challenged by the international media. He highlighted that calls continue to mount on India to immediately remove the indefensible lockdown, lift the curfew and other restrictions and respect the Kashmiris’ rights. He thanked the OIC for its continued solidarity with the Kashmiri people and full support for solution to the Kashmir dispute through the UNSC resolutions, as the people of Occupied Jammu & Kashmir had expectations and hopes from the OIC countries.

“Their struggle is just. Their rights, dignity and lives must be protected. We look forward to a continued political and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people, who are struggling for their legitimate right to self-determination under the UN auspices.”