PML-N, PPP agree to send PTI govt packing for sake of country

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz agreed on Tuesday to send the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government packing for the sake of the country and nation.

The PPP and PML-N leaders, Bilawal Bhutto and Shehbaz Sharif, met earlier today in Islamabad. In the meeting, the two leaders agreed upon formulating a joint strategy along with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl.

Sources said that Shehbaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto also approved to summon an All Parties’ Conference (APC) soon.

The PPP and PML-N leaders will also offer condolence on the passing of JUI-F leader Maulana Hanif in a recent blast in Chaman, sources added.

The leaders of the two parties spoke to media, following the meeting. PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal said that the government, led by the PTI, destroyed the economy of the country within a year. 

Iqbal said that the opposition is ready to launch a joint campaign against the government, adding that the PPP and PML-N leaders will meet the JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman.

In today's meeting, Yousaf Raza Gillani, Nayyar Bukhari, Sherry Rehman, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Naveed Qamar and Mustafa Nawaz Khokar were also present from the PPP.

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From PML-N, Raja Zafar-ul-Haq, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Rana Tanveer, Amir Muqam and Marriyum Aurangzeb attended the meeting. 

Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla and Farhatullah Babar were also part of the meeting.  

A day earlier, PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal had urged Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to postpone the Azadi March to Islamabad to November citing time required for preparation.

Speaking to the media, Iqbal said Fazl came with eight months' worth of preparation but that more time was required to mobilise Pakistan's former ruling party.

Noting that the PML-N had already promised to support the Azadi March earlier, the party leader noted that in order to have the party workers come out in full force, it was necessary for the Azadi March to be deferred to November.

Iqbal requested that an All Parties Conference (APC) be called to set the action plan for the JUI March — or the Azadi March. The PML-N would reach out to Fazl and his party in this regard, he added.

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