Shahbaz invites Zardari, Bilawal, PDM leaders to dinner today

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) would not insist for resignations of the lawmakers belonging to the opposition parties in upcoming meeting of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), sources told The News here on Sunday.

Sources in the PML-N confirmed to this correspondent that it has come to the conclusion that tendering resignations from the assemblies without the support of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) would not serve any purpose and instead cause irreparable political loss to the movement of the opposition parties.

Sources, who are privy to the meetings of PDM, stated that “Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said time and again in the meetings of PDM that long march without tendering resignations would be a futile exercise, which means PDM would rethink about it and it may be delayed for unknown period.”

They also claimed that the PMLN, headed by Shehbaz Sharif, would again likely to turn towards the constitutional and parliamentary options to get rid of the government like in-house change both at the federal and Punjab level. “PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif is believed to have fully convinced that they should make their party ‘acceptable’ to the powerful quarters. On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif is concerned about the party image that adopted anti-establishment stance and mobilised its workers for civilian supremacy in the country,” sources said.

Sources said PMLN would now not press for resignations and early long march and would consider other political options to topple the Imran-led government, adding “PPP is now in constant touch with Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Shehbaz Sharif and it can make a return to PDM anytime in near future.” If PPP comes back to PDM then it will again ask the component parties to put in efforts for no-confidence motion against the government and in this case PMLN President Shehbaz is likely to support this viewpoint as he is believed to be unconvinced about street agitation to achieve political goals, sources said.

Sources said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari constantly tried to have a meeting with Shehbaz Sharif but he tactically avoided it due to some obvious reasons. “PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had stated that now they would directly contact Shehbaz Sharif instead of Maryam Nawaz or any other in the PML-N and it was taken in bad taste by the PML-N leadership. Shehbaz Sharif thought that if he met Bilawal Bhutto Zardari then it would send a wrong message especially to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif,” sources said.

Sources said Shehbaz Sharif made a political move and invited Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari to a dinner along with other leaders of PDM today (Monday) to discuss the political situation and evolve future strategy.

They pointed out that PMLN also believes that the Imran-led government may activate National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to again arrest Shehbaz Sharif in any new case to stop his political activities that are seen by it as a threat to its survival.

“So the months of June and July may witness more ‘action’ from NAB against Shahbaz Sharif and other leaders of the opposition parties,” sources said.

Sources also claimed that PMLN is also deeply reviewing the current situation because one of four men who attempted to enter into Hasan Nawaz Sharif’s office in London by force on Friday, seeking to meet former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in-person was quoted as saying to Hussain Nawaz “Settle your affairs in Pakistan.” That person also stated “We know from where Mr. Sharif takes coffee and at what time he takes a walk.”

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi confirmed to The News that “The PMLN thinks that tendering resignations from the assemblies without PPP will not be fruitful, so we will sit with other opposition parties and make strategy about it.”

To a question, he said “We have not stuck to only one or two options because the things get changed in the political process and if the opposition thinks that resignations are no more a viable option then it will evolve new strategy to get rid of this government.”

Replying to another question, he said, “Every member of the party can give his/her suggestion in the party meetings but when the leadership takes decisions then all of them strictly follow them.”