PPP's Bilawal, PML-N's Maryam agree not to let Federal Budget 2019-20 be passed

LAHORE: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif pondered on a decisive campaign against the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in a meeting held Sunday here in Raiwind.

Bilawal travelled to Lahore on the invitation of Maryam to meet her and discuss, as per sources, the contemporary political situation following the announcement of Federal Budget 2019-20.

In the meeting attended by the close aides of both political parties' leaders, the two young leaders agreed not to let the Federal Budget 2019-20 be passed and decided to develop a plan of action in this regard.

The PPP and PML-N leaders concurred that only upholding the Constitution of Pakistan and sticking true to democracy can take the country forward.

They also decided to go ahead with their political strategy in line with the spirit of the democratic constitution.

A joint notification issued shortly after the Maryam-Bilawal meeting read: "Lengthy consultations took place between the two leaders.

"Leaders from both the parties were part of the consultations [wherein] the current situation of the country was analysed in detail," it added.

"Both [Maryam and Bilawal] agreed that all aspects of life in the country are on a downtrend.

"Country is being pushed into deep quicksand of economic deterioration and all economic indicators pointing to an extreme crisis," the notification added.

'Put the entire party in jail!'

Earlier, the PML-N VP had extended an invitation to the PPP chief during a telephonic conversation, which the latter had confirmed during a news conference.

"Solving the problems of the country is not in the hands of just one party," Bilawal had said, adding: "So what if you put one family in jail? In fact, put the entire party in jail.

"We will not come under any pressure," he had said.

PPP leaders Qamar Zaman Qaira, Chaudhry Manzoor, Hassan Murtaza, and Mustafa Nawaz Khokar were expected to join their party chief for the meeting, whereas PML-N's Pervaiz Rashid, Rana Sanaullah, Muhammad Zubair, and Ayaz Sadiq would join from Maryam Nawaz's side.

Back in May, the two leaders had met in an Iftar dinner in Islamabad, where leaders from other political parties were also present.

Federal ministers' reaction

Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, the minister for maritime affairs, made sarcastic comments about the meeting of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

"I've heard the 'raillu kattas' are meeting in Punjab today," Zaidi said of the Bilawal-Maryam meeting. "Maybe she's meeting one 'raillu katta'; I just cannot fathom what's happening," he added.

On the other hand, Minister of Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, made jibes about the lifestyles of the PPP and PML-N leaders.

"The leaders of the poor are stepping off private jets. [They] reached the billion-rupee sultanate in their million-rupee, bullet-proof cars," Chaudhry said.

"As soon as they sit on their designer furniture, they are welcomed with water from France. Afterwards, they talk about inflation and the living standard of the poor."