ISLAMABAD: A multi-party conference of the mainstream opposition parties is all set to meet in Islamabad shortly to devise a unanimous strategy to oust the government of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
“Today Pakistan’s opposition parties will unite to hold this regime to account,” Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, the organiser of the event, tweeted.
Today Pakistan’s opposition parties will unite to hold this regime to account. 2 years of this selected experiment has had disastrous consequences for Pakistan, our citizens, democracy, economy & foreign policy. Democracy is the best revenge. #UnitedForDemocracy #APC2020
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) September 20, 2020
“[Two] years of this selected experiment has had disastrous consequences for Pakistan, our citizens, democracy, economy & foreign policy. Democracy is the best revenge,” he added.
Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supreme leader Nawaz Sharif, who has been residing in London since November last year on the pretext of medical treatment and has since maintained a distance from political activities, will address the All Parties Conference (APC) through video link.
Sharif was invited by the PPP chairperson on Friday during a phone call made by the latter to inquire after the former’s health. Subsequently, on Saturday, Bilawal’s spokesperson Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar revealed that Sharif has accepted his invitation to virtually attend the conference.
PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari is also expected to deliver virtually an opening note, reports suggest.
Both leaders, who are facing mega corruption cases, are currently out on bail on account of their deteriorating health.
Leaders of PPP started arriving at a five-star hotel in the capital, where the conference is being held, in the morning. Senator Sherry Rehman while speaking to the media said that today’s would a “historic all-party conference”.
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری اسلام آباد میں ہونے والی آل پارٹیز کانفرنس میں شرکت کیلئے پہنچ گئے۔#UnitedForDemocracy pic.twitter.com/QipyskviXj
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) September 20, 2020
From the PML-N side, an 11-member delegation led by party president Shahbaz Sharif will attend the conference. The delegation includes party’s vice president Maryam Nawaz, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Pervaiz Rasheed, Rana Sanaullah Khan, Amir Muqam and Marriyum Aurangzeb.
According to sources, Maryam is attending the moot on the instructions of her father.
