by Iqtidar Gilani in The Nation, Dec 12, 2020
LAHORE – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that role of establishment in forming governments should have come to an end.
Talking to media alongwith PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz after meeting the latter at Jati Umra on Friday, he said both the government and its facilitators will have to honor verdict of the masses.
Ruling out possibility of any compromise with the present regime, Maryam Nawaz claimed that “some ministers contacted us but we even dont consider it worthy for reply”.
Bilawal Bhutto also ruled out any possibility of dialogue with the government. “Imran Khan should resign and leave the office himself,” he said, adding: “Time for talks had long gone.”
When asked about Imran Khan’s repeated stance that all the thieves have assembled on a single platform, he said the prime minister used to issue threats but now talking about talks. Regarding resignations from assemblies, he said they were ready to sacrifice their government in Sindh, adding that those talking about any cracks in the PDM were just daydreaming. He said that the matter would also be taken up in the party’s Central Executive Committee.
To a question, he said that all the parties in PDM were political parties and they would not want to create such a situation that benefits a third force. He said that people are in favour of democratic forces and the government and its facilitators should know that they will not be able to stand between the masses and their aspirations for long.
To anotjer question, he said the 11-party PDM long March would be unprecedented. He said that the PDM is going to stage a historic public meeting in Lahore on December 13, which would send a strong message to Islamabad just like Karachi, Peshawar and Gujranwala that puppet prime minister stands alone.
“We believe that the PDM’s first phase has been successful and after December 13, we will enter the second phase. And all of you will see that this government will pack its bags itself,” he said.
Maryam Nawaz said “The person who had been stating repeatedly that he would not give any NRO was begging for talks; neither the PDM nor the people would give any NRO to Imran Khan,” she said.
She said that the current government was “bogus” and there should not be any dialogue with them. She thanked Bilawal for inquiring about PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s health and expressing his condolences over her grandmother, Shamim Akhtar’s death.
To a question, she said, “We spoke on several matters of PDM and the upcoming jalsa.” She reiterated that the “jalsa” would be held at Minar-e-Pakistan.
https://nation.com.pk/12-Dec-2020/establishment-s-role-to-form-govts-must-end-now-bilawal
