Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) central General Secretary and former governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khosa disapproved of Imran Khan’s Raiwind March, saying that besieging the private property of any political opponent is not a tradition of his party.

Exclusively talking to Daily Times after participating in a function of the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) held here at Lahore Press Club on Friday, he confirmed that his party did not agree with the strategy of protest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman against the ruling Sharifs involved in Panama Leaks.

Answering queries about whether his party would participate in Imran Khan’s protest rally toward Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s residence-the Raiwind Palace-at Jati Umra in Lahore or not, Khosa categorically said, “No, we disagree with the strategy of such protests but agree with the cause of joint opposition on Panama Leaks against the rulers.”

He said that the PPP was in support of the protest of joint opposition and they had already participated in the PTI’s rally recently held in Lahore symbolically because his party believed that the sitting government was mishandling the issues especially to constitute a commission and set the ToRs (Terms of References) on Panama Leaks according to the opposition’s suggestions.

The PPP General Secretary was of the view that though his party was in favour of protests of Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri to get justice on Model Town tragedy and Panama Leaks issue, it would decide about to take to the streets with its own strategy and timing. However, he confirmed that his party-the PPP-was symbolically united with other opposition parties including PTI.

Earlier, addressing the minorities’ function regarding paying tribute to assassinated minister Shahbaz Bhatti, he stated that it was a strange strategy of the rulers of Nawaz League that despite needing to calm down the situations, they were busy in provoking the opponents on different issues especially on Panama Leaks issue and also threatening them to besiege Bani-Gala residence of Imran if he tried to go Jati Umra or saying they would break the legs of opponents who would try to march toward Raiwind Palace.

He fully backed the Pak Army’s operation Zarb-e-Azb and National Action Plan said that these would not succeed till the support of nation.