PPP calls CEC meeting on April 11 to deliberate over PDM's show-cause notice

• PPP's CEC to discuss ongoing political situation in country.
• It had been postponed due to NA and Senate sessions.
• PDM's future remains in question with PML-N, PPP openly criticising each other.

ISLAMABAD: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has summoned the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting on April 11 at Bilawal House Karachi.

Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said the party's CEC would discuss the ongoing political situation in the country and the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) show-cause notice issued to it.

Bukhari said PPP had earlier postponed the CEC meeting due to the National Assembly and Senate sessions. "Members who could not attend the meeting due to coronavirus will participate via video link."

The PPP had earlier delayed the CEC meeting that was called to decide on resignations from assemblies after its leadership came under fire from Opposition parties over the issue. While all major parties had shown their willingness for the move, the PPP had sought time to deliberate on the matter.

It is pertinent to mention here that the ANP has withdrawn from the PDM after the Opposition alliance served it a show-cause notice seeking its justification for supporting PPP's Yousuf Raza Gillani for the Opposition Leader in the Senate's office, while PPP was asked to explain within a week, why it did not first obtain the consent of the parties of the Opposition alliance.

Gillani's declaration as Opposition leader in the Senate has caused a divide within the PDM.

The PML-N says one of its own should have assumed the role as was "pre-decided" at the time of the Senate chairman election, while PPP argues it had the numbers to its favour in the Senate, and so, its party candidate had a right to the position.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Gillani had said the PML-N "does not want to resign" from the assemblies and is "blaming PPP for the setbacks" faced by the PDM.

Gillani, speaking to media in Islamabad, said the decision to resign from the assemblies would be taken in the party's CEC meeting. "Even if PPP decides in its meeting to resign from the assemblies, the PML-N will not do it."