Will stand by govt if anyone tries to overthrow it: Khursheed Shah

Leader of the opposition says he will try to convince Imran Khan and govt to resolve differences

ISLAMABAD: In an apparent reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s ‘Azadi’ march, Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Syed Khursheed Shah said on Monday that he would stand by the government if anyone tried to overthrow it undemocratically, Express News reported.

During the NA session today, Shah clarified that his party, the Pakistan Peoples Party, would support the PML-N.

Further, in a meeting with federal minister Zaid Hamid in Islamabad, Shah said he would try to convince PTI chief Imran Khan and the government to resolve their differences.

On Saturday, Shah had stated that they would not be a "friendly opposition" anymore, while terming the government's decision to invoke Article 245 a "political blunder".

On Sunday, in an interview with Radio Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that he is ready to listen to the opposition and remove its grievances, whether they sit with him before or after the long march.

However, the PTI leadership has already slammed the door shut on negotiations with the government. The party has started mobilising its supporters for the Azadi March at Islamabad’s D-Chowk, where it expects one million people to show up on August 14.

Furthermore, Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri is also planning on leading an 'Inqilabi' march to the capital on Independence Day.

Additionally, former president Asif Ali Zardari called Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid leader Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to discuss PTI’s ‘Azadi’ march and PAT’s ‘Inqilabi’ march.