'Azadi March': PML-N to convey Nawaz's message to Fazl today

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in a consultative meeting presided over by its president failed to finalise a strategy regarding participation in the JUI-F's Azadi March, however, it decided to meet Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman on Sunday (today) to share Nawaz Sharif's road map about the march.

Nawaz Sharif had written a letter to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif which was discussed in the party's consultative meeting on Saturday which lasted about three hours. Among others, Amir Muqam, Ahsan Iqnal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Abdul Qadir, Mohammad Pervaiz Malik and Asif A Kirmani attended the meeting; however, Raja Zafarul Haq, Mohammad Zubair, Javed Latif, Pervez Rasheed and others could not attend which raised speculations about differences within the ranks of PML-N about participation in the JUI-F's Azadi March.

After the meeting, PML-N Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal told that the party will share the message (letter) written by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to Fazlur Rehman on Sunday before finalising the programme for the anti-government protest march. Briefing media after the party meeting, Ahsan Iqbal dispelled rumours about differences within the party, saying there is only one narrative of Nawaz Sharif's.

Ahsan revealed that Shahbaz during the meeting read out contents of the letter written to him by party leader Nawaz. He said in the letter Nawaz had detailed a "complete roadmap" for the PML-N and expressed the desire that the party take the JUI-F Chief into confidence in this regard.

"For this purpose, a senior delegation of the party will immediately take Nawaz Sharif's letter to Maulana Fazlur Rehman so that we can give a final shape to the programme of Azadi March," Iqbal said. He said Nawaz had agreed with the objectives of Azadi March and stressed the "important" role to be played by the PML-N in the face of a "sinking economy" for which he held the government responsible. Criticizing the PTI government, he said it failed to call summit of OIC on Kashmir issue.

The sources claimed that participation in Azadi March has laid bare the differences in PML-N whose jailed leader apparently desires his party's full participation in the rally, contrary to his brother Shehbaz Sharif's cautious approach. Shehbaz will hold another meeting with Nawaz to formulate a strategy regarding its participation in the 'Azadi March' on Oct 31. The sources claimed that Nawaz Sharif has stressed in his correspondence to completely support Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman's Azad March and participate in the sit-in against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019