ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Monday criticised the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leadership and questioned whether they were giving respect to the Constitution by “bribing and offering” the MPs to support the no-confidence motion against the prime minister. Imran Khan
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, he blamed party co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari and chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for knocking at the doors of MPs and offering “bags filled with cash” in return for their vote.
“You are trying to buy the consciousness of the people. Beware of that. It is an unconstitutional act. A few of those people [who have been offered bribe money] have told us about the offers you made [to them],” said Qureshi.
“I, being a political worker, believe that all our allies including Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) had all the confidence in them. They are honourable people and stood by the government through thick and thin,” the foreign minister added.
“Our allies are experienced people and will not fall prey to the opposition’s gimmicks. The intellectual public of this country knows fully well the trio [of opposition parties] is a marriage of inconvenience and an unholy alliance, and they will fade away soon.”
Qureshi counted a number of reasons for the breakup of the alliance and said the opposition parties have no ideology, united leadership and a shared manifesto.
He asked Bilawal if he really thought Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz Sharif considered him a future leader of Pakistan.
He alleged that PPP gave Rs30,000 a person to workers to participate in the anti-government march.
The trader community has also been evaluating the opposition gimmick whether it really favours the country or not.
The foreign minister also blamed the opposition for diverting Pakistan’s continuous efforts for peace in Afghanistan.
“What signals are given to the eastern country […] that recently conducted an accidental and technological failure (missile flying into Pakistan) […] by creating uncertainty in the country,” he added.
Qureshi declared the opposition will meet a failure in near future. “People are watching the change in priorities of the opposition instead of preparing for the next general elections […] they are bringing the no-confidence motion,” he added.
The foreign minister expressed his resolve to conduct the foreign ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) on March 22 and 23 in Islamabad.
