PPP, ANP blame Maryam Nawaz's ‘dictatorial attitude’ for PDM disintegration

• Mian Iftikhar Hussain says the split in the PDM began with the issuance of the show-cause notice.
• Nayyar Hussain Bukhari says PPP is not subordinate to any political party.
• PPP leader says Fazlur Rahman adopted “a step-motherly attitude” towards the party.

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CHARSADDA: PPP and ANP, the two important component parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), have blamed the “dictatorial attitude” of PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz for the disintegration of the Opposition alliance, according to a report published in The News on Friday.

A delegation of PPP leaders travelled to Wali Bagh, the residence of Awami National Party (ANP) head Asfandyar Wali on Thursday and held talks with him and other party leaders on the evolving political situation in the country, especially after the show cause notices issued to them by the PDM.

The ANP had already announced to quit the PDM, saying the notices were an insult to the party.

The PPP delegation, the report said, had visited Charsadda on the instruction of Bilawal Bhutto to inquire after Asfandyar Wali and take the ANP into confidence about the changing political scenario.

Led by Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, the PPP delegation comprising Sherry Rahman, Fazal Karim Kundi and Humayun Khan, who is the PPP provincial president, held talks with the ANP leaders.

Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Senator Hidayatullah Khan, Aimal Wali Khan and Sardar Hussain Babak represented the ANP in the talks.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the PPP would take the decision of whether or not to quit the PDM at its Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting scheduled later this month.

Read more: 'PML-N only wants to blame PPP, not resign from assemblies': Gillani

They blamed the dictatorial attitude of Maryam Nawaz for the disintegration of the Opposition alliance.

“The split in the PDM began with the issuance of the show-cause notice,” Mian Iftikhar Hussain said, adding, it was an insult to ANP and couldn’t be tolerated.

Meanwhile, Nayyar Hussain Bukhari said the PPP had proposed Maulana Fazlur Rahman as the PDM head but the JUI-F chief adopted “a step-motherly attitude” towards the PPP. 

"PPP is not subordinate to any political party."

He said that the PPP was ready for the “long march” to Islamabad and wanted to use resignations from the assemblies as the last option.

Read more: PPP's Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani declared Senate Opposition leader

ANP backs PML-N candidate in NA 249 by-election

To a question, Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that the ANP had decided to support the PML-N candidate in the upcoming National Assembly constituency, NA-249 Karachi, by-election.

“It was the decision of ANP’s Sindh chapter. Our leaders at the provincial level are empowered to take such decisions,” he went on to add.

PPP prepares strongly-worded response

On the other hand, the PPP has drafted a strongly worded response to the show cause letter of the PDM, which would be discussed in the upcoming CEC meeting on April 11.

Quoting unnamed sources, The News reported that Bilawal will present the response before the CEC which will decide whether it to be sent to the PDM formally or convey the response verbally through a press conference.