Shehbaz Sharif announces 'full participation' in JUI-F's 'Azadi March'

Negotiations only possible if govt steps down, says Maulana Fazlur Rehman

Clearing confusion over PML-N's participation in JUI-F's 'Azadi March', its president Shehbaz Sharif announced on Friday that the party will “fully participate” in the October 31 anti-government protest in Islamabad.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman will march on the federal capital to "topple the PTI government", accusing it of coming into power through rigged elections.

The announcement was made in a joint press conference following a meeting between Shehbaz and Fazl at the PML-N leader's Model Town residence in Lahore.

صدر مسلم لیگ (ن) شہباز شریف کی سربراہ جے یو آئی مولانا فضل الرحمان کے ہمراہ پریس کانفرنس https://t.co/zx8ddJuY0Z

— PMLN (@pmln_org) October 18, 2019

His much awaited response comes amid rumours that the PML-N was divided over the matter of participation in the protest.



“In view of the instructions of our Quaid [Nawaz Sharif], we have decided to fully participate in 'Azadi March' and will welcome Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad on October 31,” the PML-N president said, adding that the joint opposition will present its demands in the protest, and subsequently decide a future course of action.

“We will raise the slogan of Pakistan Zindabad and express solidarity with Kashmiris," Shehbaz added.

پورے ملک میں روزگار بند ہے کاروبار بند ہے سرمایہ کاری ختم ہوچکی ہے ہسپتالوں میں ادویات نہ ملنے سے غریب سسک سسک کر مررہا ہےیہ وہ پاکستان نہیں جسکے لیے قربانیاں دی گئیں.ہم قائد کی ہدایت مطابق آزادی مارچ کی بھرپور حمایت کرتےہیں اور 31اکتوبر کو مولانا کااسلام آباد میں استقبال کرینگے pic.twitter.com/lJ3yUd2f8B

— PMLN (@pmln_org) October 18, 2019

Criticising Prime Minister Imran Khan and his governance, Shehbaz said, "State institutions supported Imran Khan and his party in the hope that the worsening economic condition might get improved but he [Imran Khan] has failed miserably."

If PML-N and others, he added, come into power following a free and fair re-poll, the country's worsening economic condition would be improved within six months.

اگر شفاف الیکشن ہوئے اور اللہ پاک نے ہمیں موقع دیا تو میں وعدہ کرتا ہوں کہ 6 ماہ میں اس تباہ کن معیشت کو دوبارہ اپنے پاؤں پر کھڑا کریں گے۔ بیروزگاری اور غربت کے خاتمے کے لئے شبانہ روز محنت کریں گے۔ اس حکومت نے پاکستان کو تباہ کر دیا ہے ہم اس کو دوبارہ آباد کریں گے pic.twitter.com/8OORNuzNxX

— President PMLN (@president_pmln) October 18, 2019

Fazl also spoke on the occasion and said that the government did not seem to be serious in negotiations with the opposition.

“Humiliation and negotiations can’t go hand in hand..on the one hand government is constituting committees for dialogue and on the other it is humiliating us with derogatory remarks,” he said, reiterating that negotiations were only possible if the government stepped down.