Nawaz to consult allies on SC verdict

PPP endorses PML-N’s decision to ban PTI, try its leaders under Article 6

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD:

Former prime minister and ruling PML-N’s President Nawaz Sharif has decided to consult with political parties, particularly the PML-N’s coalition partners, on the Supreme Court’s July 12 decision to allocate reserved seats in the national and provincial legislatures to rival PTI.

According to sources in the PML-N, Nawaz will discuss the political situation following the Supreme Court’s decision with political leaders. They said Nawaz Sharif has decided to contact allied parties before holding a meeting with his party’s senior leadership. He will personally reach out to the leaders of all allied parties.

The sources said Nawaz Sharif will contact PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, PML-Q’s Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, JUI-F’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leaders of the MQM and the ANP as well as the allied parties from Balochistan. After consultations and discussions with all allied leaders, the PML-N will formulate a future strategy.

Meanwhile, the PPP, after expressing some reservations, has thrown its weight behind the PML-N-led government’s decision to ban the PTI and pursue Article 6 proceedings against its key leaders, including ex-premier Imran Khan. Initially perceived as divided, the ruling coalition now presents a united front.

“[The PPP will] stand with the federal cabinet’s decisions [to ban the PTI],” said PPP General Secretary Nayyar Hussain Bukhari on Thursday. “The PPP stands with the government and will endorse the decisions of the federal cabinet,” Bukhari told a media outlet.

The PML-N-led coalition government on July 15 announced that it would ban the PTI, initiate high treason proceedings against Imran, ex-president Arif Alvi, and ex-deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri, for “unconstitutionally” dissolving the assembly, among other things.

The PML-N also announced it would challenge the Supreme Court’s decision of allotting reserved seats in the NA to the PTI and take stern action against individuals and lobbyists targeting Pakistan from abroad.

Surprisingly, the PPP’s support came at a time when the government itself was modifying its stance. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said the other day that no conclusive decision had yet been taken regarding the announcement to ban the PTI and that such a step would only be decided by the leadership and its allies. Subsequently, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the matter of imposing Article 6 on PTI leaders could be brought to parliament for debate.

Soon after the government made the announcement, some PPP leaders had said the party would take the matter to its central executive committee but the secretary general’s statement has left little to imagination as to where the party stands when it comes to supporting the PML-N against the PTI.

Additional reserved seats were earlier distributed among the ruling parties after the ECP ruled that the PTI, which was under the Sunni Ittehad Council banner in the assembly, was not eligible for the reserved seats.