Tag: PML-N

  • VIDEO: Zardari is life-long chairman of son-in-laws’ union, I am the general secy, says Capt (r) Safdar

    As both the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) reportedly pour in efforts to save the sinking ship of the opposition alliance amid growing differences, a statement by PML-N’s Capt (r) Muhammad Safdar has left netizens in fits of laughter.

    Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Safdar said the media shouldn’t expect him to comment over the straining relations between the PPP and the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

    “[PPP chief] Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari is like a brother to me while his father [and PPP co-chairperson] Asif Ali Zardari is the life-long president of the son-in-law’s union. I am the general secretary,” said the son-in-law of former prime minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif.

    So, Safdar went on to say, he shared a lot of relations with the PPP leadership and wouldn’t give any statement.

    Earlier, his wife and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also refused to answer a journalist’s query regarding reports of the PPP backstabbing the opposition alliance.

    ZARDARI & SAFDAR:

    The son of Hakim Ali Zardari, a landowner from Sindh, Zardari rose to prominence after his 1987 marriage to PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s daughter Benazir Bhutto, who became the PM of Pakistan after her election in 1988.

    After his wife’s assassination in 2007, Zardari, the new co-chairperson, led the PPP to victory in the 2008 general election.

    Safdar, on the other hand, married Maryam Nawaz in 1992 while he was serving as a captain in the Pakistan Army and had been the military secretary to then PM Nawaz Sharif.

    After retiring from the military, he joined the civil service. He joined politics after returning to Pakistan from exile in 2007 along with the Sharif family and is now a key PML-N leader.

  • ‘Too-weak-to-fight-establishment Zardari’ has also apologised to Maryam, Rana Sanaullah claims

    ‘Too-weak-to-fight-establishment Zardari’ has also apologised to Maryam, Rana Sanaullah claims

    Punjab president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Rana Sanaullah, has revealed that confusion prevails among ranks of the joint opposition ever since Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) — also a member of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), said he is weak and cannot fight the establishment on his own.

    The PML-N leader, speaking to Geo News’ programme Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath, said he was unable to understand what the former president meant by that statement.

    Sanaullah said the joint opposition had decided that office of the leader of opposition in Senate would be set aside for the PML-N but the PPP kept saying it deserved to appoint him or her from within their ranks.

    “During Zardari’s speech, someone came inside [his room] and said that there is chaos outside. After that, Zardari changed his stance,” he said.

    Following the disturbance, according to Sanaullah, Zardari said he is weak and cannot fight the establishment on his own. “I have only one son, and no one else.”

    Sana also said PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz was upset over some words of the former president’s speech, adding that the PPP co-chairman even apologised to Maryam Nawaz for it.

    The PML-N leader was talking about the key PDM meeting from last week during which opposition parties were unable to achieve a breakthrough on the issue of resignations from the parliament before the long march as the PPP remained the only party reluctant to resign.

    Following the meeting, rumours of the PPP backstabbing the joint opposition went rife, as they remained at crossroads over the appointment of the Upper House’s Opp leader.

    “It was not my intention to hurt your feelings,” Zardari said to Maryam after the meeting during which Zardari had spoken at length to PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif via videoconferencing and urged him to return to Pakistan if he was ready to wage a war against the government.

    Maryam and Bilawal have reportedly since been trading barbs.

  • Bilawal-less PDM decides to resist PPP’s bid to field its own candidate for Senate Opp leader

    Amid rumours of a rift between joint opposition members after “a deal was struck” and pundits’ predictions of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) “backstabbing” others, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has decided to resist a bid by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s party to bring in its own nominee as leader of the opposition in the Senate.

    According to reports, with an aim to keep the PDM on the same page, head of the opposition alliance, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, called on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Opposition Leader of Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz in Jati Umra on Sunday.

    As per details of the meeting, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) head met the PML-N leaders to discuss future strategy regarding long march and resignations from the parliament.

    It emerged that Fazl and Maryam decided during the meeting to resist the PPP’s bid to secure the leader of opposition’s slot which in principle had been awarded by the alliance to the PML-N’s nominee, Senator Azam Nazir Tarar.

    PDM has postponed the long march for an indefinite period after the PPP, a key member of the alliance, refused to resign from assemblies and stressed to continue the movement from within the parliament.

    Fazl has said that apart from PPP, all parties have agreed on giving resignations from assemblies. He said that PPP has sought more time for consultation on the issue.

    PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari had said that be it long march or no-confidence motion against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, former prime minister and PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif must return to Pakistan.

    “This is not the first time that the democratic forces have encountered rigging,” he said and added he had spent 14 years of his life in jail.

    After the meeting at Jati Umra, the two senior leaders of the opposition alliance addressed the media, where Fazl said that the PDM would be present during Maryam Nawaz’s hearing on March 26 with the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a show of solidarity.

    “The apparent reasons cited by NAB have exposed the bureau for the puppet institution it is. It has approached the court for cancellation of [Maryam’s] bail on the basis that she speaks against institutions.

    “So the institution has been formed not to combat corruption but to serve other institutions,” he said.

    Fazl maintained that the workers of the PDM will number in the thousands. Furthermore, he shot down any rumours of a rift within the alliance after the appointment of Yousaf Raza Gillani was appointed as the leader of the opposition in the Senate.

    “PDM is not only united, through mutual consultations we have matters under control. We all have to move ahead forward. The nine parties that have a particular ideology will request the PPP to respect their viewpoint,” he said.

    Fazl said that nine parties of the PDM are united on one principle while the PPP has yet to make a decision. He added that the PDM would wait for the decision of the PPP’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) – which will meet in April – so that the alliance can move forward effectively.

    “The PDM is united and we are trying to resolve our internal issues mutually. We are trying to find a solution and we are ready to consider further the arguments of the PPP. We will effectively improve our issues with the PPP and will wait for the decision of the PPP CEC. We will tell the PPP to agree on the decision of nine parties,” he said.

    He said that the PDM is united and we have to move together while the people of Pakistan will stand by the sovereignty of the country.

    He said that there was a detailed discussion with Maryam on the situation facing the country.

    “NAB has summoned Maryam Nawaz on March 26. I wonder whether the NAB has been tasked to serve and represent the state institutions? The reasons given for Maryam Nawaz’s NAB summoning have exposed the NAB. PDM workers and leaders will be present on the occasion of Maryam Nawaz’s appearance in NAB,” he warned.

  • Race for leader of opposition in Senate

    Race for leader of opposition in Senate

    Reports indicate that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are fighting over the slot of leader of opposition in the Senate. On March 8, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Information Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain told the media that it has been decided that the candidate for deputy chairman Senate would be from JUI-F and leader of the opposition in the upper House would be from the PML-N. Yousaf Raza Gillani was the PDM’s joint candidate for Senate chairman.

    Sources say the PPP is now vying for this position as they have reservations over the nomination of newly elected Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar by the PML-N. Tarar is a senior lawyer and is representing two accused police officers in the Benazir Bhutto murder case. When he was asked about these reservations in Geo News programme ‘Capital Talk’, Tarar said that he has his own professional commitments [as a lawyer] and he was representing the two police officers who were being tried for negligence in BB murder case. “These two have no role in the assassination but are being tried for negligence related to washing the crime scene.”

    As per media reports, Sherry Rehman will be PPP’s candidate for leader of opposition but she has denied that she is the candidate for the position.

  • Maulana tells workers to continue long march preps despite PDM falling out

    Maulana tells workers to continue long march preps despite PDM falling out

    Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has directed the party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chapter to continue preparations for the March 26 long march to Islamabad, reports said Thursday.

    A letter was written to the party’s KP leadership on Fazl’s directives, directing the leaders not to slow down the preparations. The letter said the long march has only been postponed until Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) makes its decision on the march.

    Nine of the 11 component parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) are ready to participate in the long march while PPP has sought time to make a final decision concerning en masse resignations, the letter said.

    The development comes two days after the opposition alliance announced to postpone the long march after PPP linked its resignations from the legislative assemblies with deposed prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif’s return — a condition PML-N termed out of the question.

    “Nine parties [of PDM] were in favour of resignations along with the long march but PPP had expressed some reservations,” Fazl told reporters on Tuesday, adding the PPP would discuss the matter during its upcoming central executive committee (CEC) meeting.

    A day earlier, Fazl held a telephonic conversation with Nawaz and urged him to return to Pakistan, saying with top PML-N leadership living abroad in self-exile, it was difficult to execute decisions taken by the opposition alliance.

    After spending a year in prison, Nawaz, 71, secured a conditional bail in November 2019 to travel to London on the pretext of medical treatment and has since refused to return.

    His party insists that despite being summoned by the courts, which declared him a proclaimed offender in multiple corruption trials, the former premier will only return after the completion of his medical treatment.

  • PDM to decide on long march, resignations today

    PDM to decide on long march, resignations today

    The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will decide on long march and resignations from assemblies today in a meeting chaired by PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

    Maulana Fazl, while talking to the media on Monday had said that in his personal opinion, without submitting resignations, the Opposition alliance does not stand to gain much benefit from the long march.

    PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz also said that the issue of resignations will be decided in the PDM meeting on Tuesday. She said the PML-N will try to convince those who don’t agree on resignations.

    “We have also agreed to their ideas before and they should also help us with the last push to get rid of this government in the larger interest of the nation,” said the PML-N VP.

    On the other hand, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is said to be reluctant when it comes to resigning from the assemblies.

  • Shahbaz Gill egged and inked in Lahore

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s aide Dr Shahbaz Gill was egged on Monday upon his arrival at the Lahore High Court (LHC).

    According to reports, the premier’s aide on political communication was also subjected to inking besides the two eggs that were hurled at him.

    “This ink is of their kaalay kartut [misdeeds],” said Gill while reacting to the incident.

    “Maryam [Nawaz], next time you do something like this, I will come to your house and wash my face there,” said Gill, adding: “We are Imran Khan’s followers, we will not take revenge. We will, instead, teach you values.”

    He maintained that the government could react to the incident but it won’t stoop down to the perpetrators’ level.

    Gill had earlier alleged that he has been informed that PML-N workers are planning an attack on him at LHC.

  • Opposition ready to challenge Sanjrani’s win in Senate

    Opposition ready to challenge Sanjrani’s win in Senate

    The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is all set to challenge the rejection of seven votes that were cast in favour of Yousaf Raza Gilani as per news reports. Sadiq Sanjrani bagged 48 votes in the election for the slot of Senate Chairman while Gilani bagged 42 votes. Seven votes cast in Gilani’s favour were rejected due to a technicality.

    The seven votes that were rejected had stamps on the candidate’s name but were inside the box. Senator Farooq H Naek said that the presiding officer does not have the right to reject “our vote if it has been stamped inside the box and on the candidate’s name”. Presiding officer Muzaffar Hussain Shah explained why those votes were rejected.

    It was pointed out that the written instructions in the Senate Hall were different from the reasons being given by the presiding officer.

    Former Secretary to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Geo News that the votes should have been valid and this decision can be challenged in the Supreme Court.

    Meanwhile, government senators say it was clearly stated in the Instruction Book how to vote and that these votes were wasted deliberately.

  • Maryam Nawaz being threatened, says Nawaz

    Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and head of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Thursday alleged that his daughter Maryam Nawaz Sharif is being threatened by some elements in the establishment that if she doesn’t stop, they will “smash” her.

    Besides Prime Minister Imran Khan, the PML-N chief also named three senior army generals.

    Later, Maryam tweeted that not only was she being threatened but she was being abused as well.

  • ‘Spy cameras’ discovered in polling booth ahead of Senate chairman polls

    Senators Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Dr Musadik Malik of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) have stated that they found spy cameras in the polling booth in Senate on the day of the Senate Chairman election.

    The opposition alliance has fielded Yousaf Raza Gilani as the joint candidate for Senate chairman while the government has fielded Sadiq Sanjrani.

    Senator Khokhar and Dr Musadik, in a series of tweets, posted pictures of cameras they found.

    https://twitter.com/DrMusadikMalik/status/1370235911255031808

    Responding to these tweets, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that those cameras were “in all likelihood CCTV” cameras and not spy cameras.

    Senator Khokhar thanked Chaudhry for the lead and said “we will check for those too”.

    A few minutes later, Senator Khokhar tweeted he found a similar screw that the minister had mentioned and thanked Chaudhry for the lead. In response to this, Fawad wished Senator Mustafa good luck.

    Senator Khokhar questioned why a screw was there.

    Senator Musadik Malik also tweeted the same.

    https://twitter.com/DrMusadikMalik/status/1370270961136713728

    A video available with The Current shows the whole saga of uncovering the screw:

    https://twitter.com/TheCurrentPK/status/1370276132986179587

    Meanwhile, the government accused the opposition of planting those cameras.

    Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar tweeted that credible sources in Senate staff have disclosed that Sadiq Sanjrani left the Senate building at 5:30am in the morning.

    Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that Secretary Senate should form a committee to investigate the cameragate before Dr Musadik and Mustafa Nawaz destroy the entire wiring system in the Senate.

    Meanwhile, Twitter has dubbed the duo of Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Dr Musadik Malik as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson.

    While those behind the installation of cameras are still unknown, it is worth mentioning that the elections for Senate chairman and deputy chairman are critical for both the government and opposition.

    Later, in a press conference Senator Mustafa and Dr Malik, detailed the events that transpired in the Senate as they discovered the hidden cameras.

    https://youtu.be/JIssfV4EJNc