Need to avoid accountability has brought rival parties together: Qureshi

Alleges PPP has decided against submitting resignations and disconnecting from parliament and Senate

ISLAMABAD:

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday reiterated that the need to avoid accountability had brought many rival parties together on one platform saying the ‘necessity is the mother of invention’.

Hinting at a rift within the 11-party Pakistan Democratic Movement alliance, the minister said PPP was being represented in today’s meeting by former premiers Raja Pervez Ashraf and Yousuf Raza Gilani, who were not in favour of submitting resignations.

“The PPP has decided against the submitting resignations and disconnecting from the Parliament and Senate,” Qureshi said adding that the PPP was not ready to ‘sacrifice’ the Sindh government.

“It is yet to be seen whether Pakistan Muslim League –Nawaz (PML-N) agreed to PPP’s conditions,” Qureshi added.

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is set to hold a meeting today at Jati Umra to chalk out a future strategy against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government, FM Qureshi believed that this would be PDM’s last meeting with Pakistan Peoples’ Party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC).

The PPP surprised everyone on December 29 with the announcement of contesting the upcoming Senate elections, while endorsing at the same time almost all decisions of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), including resigning from assemblies.

The party also decided to challenge the PTI-led governments at the Centre and in other provinces through no-confidence motions in the National Assembly, Punjab Assembly and others.

The hours-long CEC meeting was jointly chaired by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari. After the meeting, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressed a press conference along with senior party leaders.

FM Qureshi stressed that the PDM had decided to submit all the resignations to its President and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. However, the PPP demanded that resignations be rather submitted to the leadership of their respective parties

“December 31 came and went but no there were no resignation,” the foreign minister said. “There is no consensus on the long march either as the PPP leadership made it conditional on the return of Nawaz Sharif.”

Qureshi asserted that Prime Minister Imran Khan has the mandate of the people and would not resign at any cost.

Talking about death anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27, the FM said that ‘we share the grief’ and that it was a sad day in the history of Pakistan.

Pointing out the divide among the PDM leadership, Qureshi said that PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz visited Larakana, but the PDM’s president did not.

“The nation know the truth and will not be fooled,” he added. “Other than escaping accountability and NRO, issues of a national importance can be discussed [with the opposition].”

He maintained that NRO was a way to avoid accountability. When the opposition was consulted for FATF legislation, they submitted a 34-point NAB amendment, the FM added.

“We understand the difference between accountability and revenge. We do not believe in revenge but accountability must move forward.”

“A political ploy of recognizing Israel is in play to provoke the public sentiment,” he underscored adding that the attempt had failed.

“The whole nation has an emotional attachment to the Kashmir and Palestine issue,” FM added. “Pakistan has a clear and unequivocal position on the Kashmir and Palestine dispute.”

Talking about the vandalised Hindu temple in the southern Karak district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, FM Qureshi said that he was glad that Supreme Court had taken notice of the incident.

“We strongly condemn the incident,” Qureshi said, “This is against Islamic values. We must ensure the protection of minority places of worships. Those who have done this have damaged Pakistan's international identity.”