LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Saturday said that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is not her target and she would not criticise the party beyond a certain point.
Maryam further said that she has a “good relationship” with party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
She made the comments while responding to a question from a reporter during a press conference in Lahore. “If the PPP has decided to part ways politically, then it is responsible and can explain the reasons for doing so. If would have been better if it would not have happened. But the PPP is not my target, I choose my targets after politically strategising and deliberating. The PPP is not included in this. I have a good relationship with Bilawal and other members of the party.”
Earlier this month, the PPP had asked all party members to resign from their positions in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). The decision came after the Awami National Party (ANP) parted ways with the movement.
Both parties had taken the step after being issued show-cause notices by the PDM for nominating Yousuf Raza Gilani as the opposition leader in the Senate “in violation of the unanimous decision” of the alliance.
During today’s press conference, Maryam stated that her earlier accusations of “submitting to the baap” during the Senate election, was not an attack on one particular party but rather a “matter of principle”.
“The PDM narrative was damaged, and the image of a divided opposition was presented which should not have happened. But I don’t want to escalate this any further.
“The people are watching, and can see who is doing what as well as what each party is deciding. They will hold parties accountable. But I had made a promise to the people, that we will fight in the political arena. Therefore, we will fight [against each other] in elections but we will not cross a certain limit. We will not hit below the belt. Even today, I still have good relations with Bilawal, the PPP and other parties which includes the ANP.”
MARYAM POSTPONES KARACHI VISIT:
Meanwhile, Maryam postponed her visit to Karachi in view of surging coronavirus cases, party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed.
Maryam was scheduled to visit the metropolis in connection with the NA-249 (Karachi West-II) by-election, a seat that was left vacant due to the resignation of Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda.
Aurangzeb confirmed the development, saying the visit was cancelled “considering the worsening situation” of the pandemic.
“The decision was taken to protect the lives of the people and save them from coronavirus,” she said in a series of tweets.
Separately, Maryam’s spokesperson Mohammad Zubair said she was to address “a large jalsa, which would have endangered the situation”.
“The campaign however will continue unaffected,” he added.
