Daily Times

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif Wednesday suggested formation of a national government minus the PTI. “A national government excluding the PTI should be formed for the next five years,” Shehbaz said in an interview with a news channel.

Shehbaz however made it clear that it was his personal idea saying the new leadership that comes into power should work with all the dedication so as to set a benchmark. “And then we can see what happens,” he said.

The opposition leader rubbished claims of horse-trading in the build-up to the no-confidence motion session and said when politicians were “being loaded on to a private aircraft, then what was that all about”. Shahbaz said that if the allegations of horse-trading turned out to be true, then he would apologise to the nation and step down from office. “If horse-trading takes place, then I will be responsible for it.”

He also said that people should stop calling the prime minister “honest” and stated that had the premier recovered the two billion dollars he claimed he would, then he might have served the nation. “Records of dacoity have been broken in Pakistan […] The government bought oil at the most expensive rates, but it could not buy cheap gas,” the PML-N president said.

Speaking about the PTI’s plan to hold a rally before the no-confidence motion, the opposition leader said that the government was “warning” lawmakers against voting in favour of the no-confidence motion. “They (government) are warning them of violence, but we do not plan on resorting to violence. They want to clash with the constitution and the law,” he said. The PML-N president said the government was “threatening” to end democracy in Pakistan. “We will bring people to avoid this,” he said about the opposition’s “long march” – which is expected to start from March 25.

With the National Assembly session just round the corner for voting on the no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan, the government is trying hard to keep its allies onboard for support during the voting. The opposition is also attempting to cajole the PTI allies and seeking to break the government alliance in the lower house – by holding back-to-back meetings with them.

Imran Khan has said that he is ready for everything that the opposition plans to throw his way, but he has also intensified meetings with allies ahead of the no-trust motion session.

Both the government and the opposition are set to hold massive rallies in Islamabad before the crucial session with the government’s gathering scheduled for March 27, while the opposition’s “long march” will take place after March 25, once the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) session ends.