APC to be held by June-end, says Fazl after talks with Shehbaz, Bilawal

ISLAMABAD: An All Parties' Conference (APC) will likely be held by the end of June, leaders of the Opposition parties agreed following a meeting of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The JUI-F chief had called on Sharif to discuss the joint Opposition's APC and the country's political situation with him. Prior to that, he also sat down with Bilawal.

Speaking to media later, Fazl said the APC would be held towards the end of this month, adding that all Opposition parties would head forth under a joint strategy. He maintained that the "government will have to go".

He said it was possible that more members of the Parliament may be arrested

Bilawal, on the other hand, said he wanted the assemblies to complete their term in any case. "Whatever decision was made during the APC would be the collective decision of all," he added.

The PML-N president also reiterated after meeting Fazl that the APC would be held very soon but noted that a date would be announced after everyone was consulted.

"We have decided through a consensus that an APC would be called to resolve all the problems" of the Pakistani people, Sharif said, adding jibes at Prime Minister Imran Khan as well.

"Imran Niazi stood on a container and painted a bright picture of the future for the people," he said, using the incumbent premier's last name instead of the popular 'Khan'.

"However, in the past 10 months of his prime ministership, his tyrannical measures have made the common people's life hell-like.

"The worst budget in Pakistan's history was presented. We will force the government to rescind this budget," he vowed.

Bilawal, Maryam, and the Budget

Last month, Maulana Fazl had announced that he would call the APC after Eid-ul-Fitr.

“After Eid-ul-Fitr, we will host all political parties and a consensus stance would be decided on which there will be consensus strategy. We will then take steps in line with this strategy,” the JUI-F chief said in a video message.

The decision to hold the APC was taken during an Iftar dinner hosted by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chair Bilawal and attended by Opposition leaders, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz.

The PPP boss had also met Maryam Nawaz Sharif on June 16 in Raiwind.

In the meeting attended by 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.