PPP leader ridicules PML-N-MQM alliance

Takes exception to form an alliance with MQM-P without consulting PDM

LAHORE:

Punjab PPP acting president Rana Farooq Saeed has criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over its decision to ally with MQM-P without consulting the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

In a sardonic response to the alliance, the PPP leader sarcastically congratulated the PML-N on their fresh alliance with the MQM-P, stating, "Congratulations to PML-N for their new partnership with MQM. They keep coming together and then get divorced."

He further questioned the economic impact of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif’s returning to Pakistan, noting the rise in the value of the dollar. "You were supposed to be a beacon of hope for the country, so why is the dollar strengthening instead of weakening?”

He questioned how can those who contributed to the economic decline now be expected to fix it.

Regarding the MQM, Saeed remarked that the party seemed to be leaning on military generals for support, “seeking shoulders of Zia, Musharraf, and Bajwa”.

He alleged that MQM’s violent legacy included "bodies in sacks, killings, and banditry".

Read also: Zardari ‘welcomes’ opponents to poll bouts against PPP

He said that those who faced a significant defeat in Sindh's local elections were now causing anguish for the entire country.

The PPP leader also pointed out the PML-N's difficulties in finding a suitable candidate for the party's Sindh president, leading them to appoint the former Director General (DG) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Bashir Memon, for the role. He said that the PML-N’s political influence in Sindh had waned, and their prospects in Punjab would reflect this decline in the upcoming elections.

These statements came in response to the PML-N and MQM-P's announcement of an electoral alliance for the upcoming polls.

During a press conference in Lahore, MQM-P senior leader Farooq Sattar revealed that both parties would jointly campaign for the general elections scheduled for February 8, 2024.

A joint committee, consisting of three representatives from each party, will oversee the alliance, Sattar added.