Shehbaz to continue with his reconciliatory stance

'Will not hit out at any state institution in today’s address at National Assembly'

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, who is currently in the top anti-graft watchdog’s custody in connection with a graft case, will not adopt a retaliatory approach in his today’s (Wednesday) address in the National Assembly.

Sources said Shehbaz, who will be presented in the NA session called on request of his party to discuss his October 5 arrest by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), would continue with his long standing narrative of reconciliation among state institutions.

“Unlike his brother and former premier Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz would not go for confrontation with state institutions. People should finally understand that Shehbaz’s narrative is neither a ruse nor a result of any friction between the two brothers,” said a highly-placed source in the party.

He said Shehbaz, who is also the NA opposition leader, will try to put across the message that government could only move if the treasury and opposition benches worked together. He said the opposition benches should also be taken as a crucial part of this system.



He said Shehbaz’s address would also be regarding the overall working of the government. He said Shehbaz’s case would also be discussed at length during the session so that the parliamentarian as well as the public may know “what farce is going on in the name of accountability”.

He said this could not be taken as a last ditch effort by Shehbaz Sharif led PML-N faction to reduce political tensions in the country. “However, if this political victimisation continues, the party will be forced to take a head-on approach,” he added.



Earlier in the day, former provincial law minister Rana Sanaullah also warned the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government of street protests, if it did not stop victimising the opposition. He said such political victimisation could damage the state.

He said the decision by the PML-N is to properly lodge their protest in the Punjab Assembly and the National Assembly. Talking to The Express Tribune, the PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said the party does not want to take to the streets and the government should not push them to the wall.

“We are a political party and will continue our political struggle democratically,” she added.

According to another senior leader, the party is not opting for a street agitation for multiple reasons, one of which is that any adventurism on part of the PML-N could again divide the opposition.

“The PML-N is very cautious as it wants to ensure opposition parties alliance. Any haste shown by the PML-N, would annoy the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). The party wants to give the PTI led government a tough time and for that it wants to keep the opposition parties together,” he added.

The PPP leaders have also vowed to stand by the PML-N on political victimisation issue. The PPP will however only extend support within the house. Both the PPP chairman and co-chairman are expected to participate in today’s session.

NAB authorities will bring Shehbaz Sharif to Islamabad at 9:30am on Wednesday. He will attend a parliamentary party meeting and later the National Assembly session.