PML-N mulls participating in JUI-F’s Azadi March

PML-N Punjab’s Information Secretary says formal approval will be given by the party’s CEC

LAHORE: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has decided in principle to take part in Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s proposed Azadi March, a party spokesperson said on Sunday.

“Formal approval will be given by the party’s Central Executive Committee,” PML-N Punjab’s Information Secretary Azma Bukhari said.

He said the PML-N has already convened its Central Executive Committee’s meeting on September 30 which will formally come up with a decision on the issue.

The JUI-F delegation is also invited to the meeting to brief the members on Azadi March. Azma Bukhari said that Muslim League Nawaz is a democratic party which takes its decision after taking all its members on board.

PML-N General Secretary Ahsan Iqbal and JUI-F leader Akram Durani also held a joint press conference outside PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif’s residence after a meeting between both the party leaders.

The meeting was requested by Shehbaz Sharif on instructions of party supremo Nawaz Sharif, who has already forwarded his commitment on his party’s participation in the march to Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The participants of the meeting expressed grave concerns over the economic situation and the overall governance in the country. They termed the PTI government a threat to the state.

The PML-N delegation led by President Shehbaz Sharif included Raja Zafar ul Haq, Ahsan Iqbal, Ayaz Sadiq and Khurram Dastagir. Meanwhile, the JUI-F delegation led by party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman included Akram Durrani and Maulana Amjad Mehmood.

Meanwhile, former minister Ahsan Iqbal criticised the performance of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and advised the government to step down for the betterment of the country.

Referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s directives to his finance team to come up with ‘out-of-the-box’ solutions for the economic uplift of the country, the PML-N secretary general has said the only 'out of box' solution to the country’s problems was stepping down of the premier and his regime.

In a video statement, Iqbal said Imran was fond of cricketing terms and very well knew about 'retired hurt'.

“After his total failure and inability to deal with governance, Imran and his government should resign as ‘retired failed’,” he said.

“He should follow in the footsteps of his ‘political cousin’ Tahirul Qadri and should announce his political retirement,” he added.

Iqbal claimed the day PM Imran resigns stocks would jump a thousand points.

"At this critical time when national cohesion is needed, Imran has proven his inability to unite the people because his personality exists only through the prism of division and vengeance.

“The eyes of Kashmiris are focused on Pakistan, while the premier is contemplating on the reference of chief election commissioner and dumping opposition leaders into C class' jails,” he said.

He claimed that the state of education in the country was in absolute crisis as the PTI government had cut the education budget by Rs22 billion.

Speaking in Model Town Lahore, PML-N leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said that his party would decide to participate or not in JUI-F long march after consultation with Nawaz Sharif.

Sadiq said that people had never thought or seen the country in such a state where the PTI had brought it.

PML-N Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb maintained that the ‘incompetent’ PTI regime was bent on lying about the country's economy which would make the national crisis even worse.

Responding to the press conference on economy, Marriyum said the first step in solving any problem was the acknowledgement of it.

“The inept government believes that their strategy of lying about everything including accusing the opposition of corruption will fix the economy,” she said.

She noted that PTI government had buried the country under historic foreign debt.

“Khan's regime is responsible for the financial chaos because they wasted an entire year in confusion and cluelessness,” she remarked.

Marriyum pointed out that FBR had categorically stated that Rs5.5 trillion tax collection was impossible to achieve, yet PM Imran continued to lie with the nation.