PPP leaders call cancelled sit-in a backdoor deal

Khursheed Shah says Imran is empowering Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s decision to cancel its November 2 lockdown of Islamabad on Tuesday drew different reactions from political parties.

While a few political parties saw the decision as an end to the political stalemate, Pakistan Peoples Party termed the ‘eleventh hour decision’ a result of backdoor agreement.

Right after Imran Khan’s announcement to celebrate Wednesday (today) as a ‘thanksgiving day’, politicians including prime minister’s daughter Maryam Nawaz took to social media to share their thoughts.



PPP’s senator and former minister for interior Rehman Malik claimed in a comment to The Express Tribune that “the nation must recall my statement where I said that there will be bargain between PTI and the government.”



He stated that he had foretold that the umpire’s role would be different and backdoor channels worked well in converting the sit-in into a thanksgiving rally.

Expressing similar views, PPP Senator Saeed Ghani stated that “another Niazi (Imran Khan) has surrendered in November and now PTI workers should check on their leader.”

“Imran is a major supporter of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and today he has proved it,” said Leader of the Opposition Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah while talking to the media in Parliament.

“Imran is empowering Sharif with his unsuccessful sit-ins and he will keep doing that in the future as well,” he said.

Shah also stated that given the attitude of the government towards the protestors, the violence and chaos was not coming to an end and it would have continued unabated.

Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq tweeted that the Supreme Court should not only identify the culprits but also punish them according to the law to eradicate corruption.

Speaking to a private TV channel, PPP Senator Aitzaz Ahsan said that Panama Papers Bill should later be made into an act. The said bill is pending with the Senate.



Jumping to the party’s defence, PTI’s chief whip in the National Assembly Shireen Mazari stated in her tweet that “Imran Khan and PTI’s 20-year struggle for accountability saw fruition today in the SC decision to hold the powerful accountable before the law.”

Party leader Ejaz Chaudhary said PTI’s struggle continues. “This is a temporary phase. We are with our chairman,” he tweeted.

Daughter of the PM, Maryam Nawaz, dubbed it a ‘hasty retreat’.  “Another assault on the country comes to naught,” she tweeted adding that she “hope against hope that those beating a hasty retreat will learn from the embarrassment.”

“Let this be on record that it was the prime minister who requested the honourable Supreme Court for a commission on April 22, 2016,” Maryam maintained.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2016.