HYDERABAD: Sindhi nationalist leaders were cautious of a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) offer to join their movement to oust Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
The PML-N has been asserting that Gilani is a convict, thereby stands disqualified from the Parliament, hence ineligible to hold the office of Prime Minister. The main opposition party is holding nationwide protest rallies and has announced its decision to stage a long march to oust Gilani.
PML-N ‘s provincial leaders including Saleem Zia, Marvi Memon and Imdad Chandio called upon Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, Dr Qadir Magsi and Ayaz Latif Palijo separately at their residences. The three the head nationalist parites Sindh United Party (SUP), Sindh Taraqi Pasand (STP) and Awami Tehreek (AT), respectively. They are also allies in the Sindh Progressive Nationalist Alliance (SPNA).
"We will put the PML-N's request to the executive committee/council and in the SPNA for consideration," they said, "though we principally agree on PML-N’s stance about Gilani's removal, but we will have to evolve a consensus first."
The response of nationalist parties is concurrent with the demands of PML-N, yet they insist they should not be clubbed together, yet.
"The STP's stance is that Gilani should resign and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) should nominate a new member for the position. For this much we are in consonance with the PML-N," said Magsi while addressing a press conference along with the PML-N leaders. However, he asked the party to convene an all parties conference to devise a mutual strategy to remove PPP from power.
Magsi also accused the government for deliberately not implementing the court's orders and not missing any opportunity to defy and ridicule the judiciary.
Zia mentioned that their primary objective in any support of PML-N's movement was to save the judiciary, "we have come here with a one-point agenda to save the judiciary and we are going to the parties which have already made their position clear regarding the issue." However, he added, that the STP and other parties have assured him that they will support the movement once they get consent from SPNA and their respective executive committees.
He said that PML-N was ready to chalk out a long-term policy with the nationalists for issues including autonomy, water, financial resources and other problems faced by Sindh.
The nationalists criticised the Muttahida Qaumi Movement for trumpeting up support for the Hazara and Seraiki province, so as to realise its dream of Sindh's division.
"The PML-N categorically opposes the division of Sindh," he added.
Zia said the present judiciary was different from the previous ones and was independent because all segments of the civil society joined in the struggle to restore it. He accused the PPP government for being hell-bent on destroying the judiciary’s independence.
Talking to The Express Tribune, SUP leader Roshan Buriro said that Jalal Shah told the PML-N leaders that the party's participation in the movement was subject to approval from the executive committee and SPNA.
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