Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari held a meeting today (Sunday) with Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz at Jati Umra, Lahore.

Maryam had invited Bilawal for the meeting  during a telephonic conversation on Saturday. The PPP chairman accepted invitation for the meeting, attended by a few close aides from both the political parties. The two leaders are likely to discuss the prevalent political situation post the arrests of Asif Ali Zardari, Faryal Talpur and Hamza Shehbaz as well as the federal budget for fiscal year 2019-20 recently unveiled by the government. As per the sources, an anti-government movement and a united opposition front is one of the key agendas.

Sources within the PML-N relayed the party president Shehbaz Sharif will not attend the Jati Umra meeting. However, Maryam Nawaz clarified that the meeting with the PPP leader was finalised after taking Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif into confidence. “This & all other decisions in the party are taken after the approval of MNS [Mian Nawaz Sharif] & MSS [Mian Shehbaz Sharif’ & taking the senior leaders into confidence. Discipline & party hierarchy are followed by all including me,” she tweeted.

This meeting in Raiwind comes a few weeks after the leaders of the PPP and the PML-N met for iftar, in a gesture aimed at displaying a united front against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Bilawal had hosted the PML-N’s top leadership including Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shehbaz, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ayaz Sadiq among others. The guests list also included representatives from other political parties such as Aftab Khan Sherpao of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and Mohsin Dawar of the Pashtoon Tahfuz Movement. PPP leaders Asif Ali Zardari, Sherry Rehman and Raza Rabbani were also present on the occasion.

Separately, addressing a press conference in Lahore on Saturday, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari slammed the ruling party’s ‘anti-people IMF budget’ and stated that while amnesty and bailouts have been provided for the rich, the poor of the country have been burdened with taxes, inflation and rising unemployment. He said he was willing to support the ruling party if they had introduced a fair and people-friendly budget. “We gave them a chance, but we cannot support a budget that is against the poor of the country,” he added.

Bilawal also slammed the proposed cuts in higher education and health sectors. “The federal government is snatching the rights of provinces. 60% Pakistanis reside in Punjab but there has been an immense cut in its budget. Punjab’s labourers, aged pensioners and unemployed youth will bear the burden of their [PTI] incompetency. There was a Rs 600 billion budget for Punjab previously and now it stands at Rs 200 billion,” he added.

Bilawal said the PPP will not compromise on its principles of helping the poorest of the country no matter how many people from his family and party are sent to jail. Stressing upon the need to jointly resolve issues, Bilawal said he has accepted PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz’s invitation and will be meeting her on Sunday. “We have different perspectives but no single party can resolve the issues of the country alone,” he added.

The PPP chairman said his party will not abandon its support to the outstanding issues, including that of the missing persons. He said their stance on military courts will not change.

Bilawal said judiciary is being pressurised and attacks on judiciary are being made under a conspiracy. “There will no difference in dictatorship and democracy if institutions are run in this way,” he said, adding that he is following the ideology of Benazir Bhutto, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari. “So what if you put one family in jail, in fact, put the entire party in jail. We will not come under any pressure”, Bilawal stated.