ISLAMABAD:
The leadership of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of opposition parties, has expressed serious concern over the delay in an investigation into the alleged arrest of PML-N leader Captain (retired) Safdar under pressure from his hotel room in Karachi last month.
“Despite assurances from the military chief that the investigation will be completed in 10 days, no progress has been made after three weeks,” said JUI-F head Maulana Fazlur Rehman, addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Sunday.
Army Commander General Qamar Javed Bajwa has ordered an investigation into the ‘Karachi incident’ – the incident that led to the registration of the first information report (FIR) against Captain Safdar and his subsequent arrests during a visit to the provincial capital of Sindh last month.
“Paying attention to the Karachi incident, COAS [chief of the army staff] has directed the Commander of the Karachi Corps to immediately investigate the circumstances to determine the facts and report back as soon as possible, ”read a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The motive was taken after PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, while addressing a press conference, asked the Commander of the Army and the Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed to investigate how the Sindh Police Chief was pressured to register a case against the PML-N leader.
In one drama, Captain (retired) Safdar – the son-in-law of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif – is arrested from his wife Maryam Nawaz’s hotel room in Karachi on the morning of October 19 for allegedly disrespecting the mausoleum of the Founders of the Nation, only to be released by a court hours later.
Safdar was in Karachi with his wife Maryam for a rally of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and allegedly shouted slogans at the Quaid-i-Azam mausoleum Muhammad Ali Jinnah when he visited the venue with other party leaders. the day before the general meeting.
During today’s press conference, Maulana Fazl was flanked by other PDM leaders including former prime ministers Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Raja Pervez Ashraf.
The head of JUI-F said PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif also attended the meeting from London via video link and the participants discussed the country’s overall political situation.
“One of the main challenges for the country is the economic crisis which makes the lives of the masses miserable and makes it difficult for them to make ends meet,” he added.
Fazl announced that an alliance steering committee meeting would be held in Islamabad on November 14, where future actions to topple the PTI-led government would be finalized.
The JUI-F chief said opposition leaders also expressed serious concern and condemned the controversial remarks of Home Minister Brig (edt) Ijaz Shah. “That statement is tantamount to threatening the PML-N leadership that their party members will be killed in the same way as killing the Awami National Party (ANP) workers,” he said.
The meeting, he said, also emphasized the need to decide the foreign funding case against the PTI decision as soon as possible, on the allegation that the case was deliberately postponed.
“Why is the foreign funding case still pending … it clearly means something is suspicious,” said Fazl.
The press conference was held after a meeting of opposition leaders at the central secretariat of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in Chak Shahzad, who were called on to decide future action for the alliance against PM Imran Khan’s government.
The multi-party alliance held its first general meeting in Gujranwala on 16 October, the second in Karachi on 18 October and the third in Quetta on 25 October.
PDM has not held any rallies in Peshawar, Multan and Lahore – scheduled for 22 November, 30 November and 13 December respectively.
In his inaugural address at the meeting, the chairman of JUI-F said, “We have many options during the All Parties Conference”.
However, he added, the PDM party must think above the ideas and ideologies that they adhere to. “The most important thing is that our narrative is unanimous,” said Maulana Fazl.
Furthermore, the Chairperson of JUI-F questioned whether the PDM already had a plan if actions came to respond to its activities, and whether party workers and the masses were ready for it.
Among the other leaders present at the meeting were Pashtunkhwa Party chairman Milli Awami (PkMAP) Mahmood Khan Achakzai, National Awami Party (ANP) Amir Haider Khan Hoti, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Akhtar Mengal of the Balochistan-Mengal National Party and Aftab Ahmad Khan. from the Qaumi Watan Party. Sherpao, among others.
The meeting took place amid accusations of “treason” and resignation from the constituent PDM party – at the center of it is PML-N over what has been described as an ‘anti-state’ narrative. The party saw two of its former members formally announce their resignation on November 7.
Disgruntled PML-N leader Lt.-Gen (retired) Abdul Qadir Baloch announced his resignation from party office, citing anti-military narratives from party supremo Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam.
Ousted Prime Minister Nawaz has opened fire not only against Prime Minister Imran Khan but also against the military establishment, accusing him of stealing public mandate at the PDM opposition alliance’s first show of power in Gujranwala last month.
Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, another senior PML-N leader, too Stop The party on Saturday accused Nawaz Sharif of “betraying everyone who stood by him during the test period”.
“From today on, Nawaz Sharif is our political opponent,” said Nawab Zehri while announcing his resignation from the PML-N Central Executive Committee. “I will conclude my next course of action after consulting my friends and aides.”