Political wrangling: PPP legislators demand action against Qureshi

Former foreign minister’s comments on Abbottabad operation provoke backlash.


Express May 07, 2011

KARACHI:


Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MPAs from Sindh have appealed to their party leadership to take action against former foreign minister and PPP leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who, according to them, violated party discipline by asking the president and the prime minister to step down after the Abbottabad operation.


Addressing a joint press conference, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that Qureshi was playing into the hands of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif. “We have evidence of a telephonic conversation between Qureshi and Nawaz Sharif. The media briefing by Qureshi is just to appease the Nawaz League,” he said.

He added that the PML-N leader and parliamentarians were on the same side and were demanding the resignations of the president and the prime minister. “They are part of a well-planned conspiracy against the government and the PPP leadership, and Qureshi is working on their agenda.”  Memon claimed that after Qureshi was not given the foreign ministry portfolio of his choice, he began to speak out against the leadership.  He added that Qureshi won the election using the PPP’s platform. By issuing this kind of statement, he is being disloyal to the party. “If he is sincere about bringing about change, then he should start by resigning from his MNA seat, contest the election and then talk against the PPP leadership,” he quipped.

“Qureshi obeyed all the decisions made by the government for three years. But now he has started crying against the government’s policies because of his removal from the post.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2011.

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