Nawaz Sharif vows to foil attempts aimed at creating 'artificial political crisis'

• PML-N Senator Siddiqui calls on Nawaz in Raiwind.
• Nawaz says a political group incapable of holding serious talks.
• Asks PML-N parliamentarians to maintain contact with people.

LAHORE: As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) plans to launch another anti-government movement after Eid-ul-Fitr, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday vowed to block attempts aimed at creating an "artificial political crisis" in the country.

"[The] people of Pakistan will no longer allow anyone to obstruct the journey of development and progress," the former three-time prime minister said during a meeting with PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui in Raiwind.

After talks between the government and the opposition collapsed, the PTI made another push to establish a grand alliance against the federal government with party founder Imran Khan ordering to expedite "contact with other opposition parties for protests after Eid".

In April last year, the PTI formed a multi-party opposition alliance named Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan, comprising Sunni Ittehad Council, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen.

Now, the former ruling party has reportedly roped in former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to become part of its anti-government movement.

Unveiling the former ruling party's strategy, Imran's lawyer Faisal Chaudhry said that the PTI was working towards forming a grand opposition alliance, focused on certain objectives including restoration of the constitution and democracy.

During today's meeting, Nawaz said that a certain group is "incapable of holding serious negotiations and lacks political understanding" — referring to the former ruling party.

"Had the journey of development that began in 2013 continued, there would have been no need for the IMF or external assistance today," he added.

Lauding the performance of Prime Minister Shehabz Sharif-led government, the PML-N president said that the country was "once again standing on its feet".

He stressed the need to expose the intentions of those who want to spread chaos inside and outside the Parliament. He also asked the PML-N parliamentarians to play an effective role and maintain strong contact with the people.

Since Khan's ouster from power, the PTI organised a series of anti-government protests in the past, however, they ended up abruptly following violent clashes between the protesters and law enforcers.