ISLAMABAD: Opposition party leaders gather to attend All Parties Conference in Islamabad on Wednesday that was called by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, with political leaders aiming to formulate a strategy for a movement against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
The Balochistan National Party (Mengal), which had been attending opposition meetings despite sitting on the treasury benches, decided against attending the APC on Wednesday.
In a written message sent to Maulana Fazlur Rehman, BNP-M chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal asked the opposition to consider his party’s recommendations. The Jamaat-i-Islami, which is sitting on the opposition benches, had already distanced itself from the APC.
Delegations of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Awami National Party (ANP), the Aftab Sherpao-led Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), the National Party and the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) are attending the conference.
The PML-N delegation was led by National Assembly Opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif and includes party vice-president Maryam Nawaz Sharif, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ayaz Sadiq and Ahsan Iqbal.
Former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, ex-Senate chairman Raza Rabbani, Nayyar Bukhari, Sherry Rehman and Farhatullah Babar are representing the PPP. The party’s chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, will also attend the event.
In the meeting, Maulana Fazl had called for launching a full-fledged anti-government movement soon after Eidul Fitr, saying that they “are already too late”. But his proposal was not warmly received by the PPP and the PML-N.
Interestingly, the PPP is undecided on the participation of its Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, as its parliamentary party will take a decision on it in its meeting before the APC today. Bilawal has nominated a five-member delegation of the party for participation in the APC.
