LAHORE: Vice President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Maryam Nawaz, has stated unequivocally that any “option” that assures the departure of the existing administration must be pursued.
The PML-N VP told a group of journalists at the home of her party’s MPA Bilal Yasin, who was injured in an attack a few days ago, that she initially wanted the government to finish its five-year term, but after seeing the people’s misery, she believes that “any option that can send this PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) government home must be exercised.”
She stated that the government’s reality has been exposed in front of the country over the last three years. She also stated that the narrative of her party has now become the narrative of the nation.
Maryam remarked that the entire world had watched the government’s “incompetence” and “apathy” in the aftermath of the disaster in Murree. People perished, she claimed, not as a result of the snow, but as a result of the government’s “ineptness.” People at the top were sleeping in their heated apartments at Bani Gala, PM House, and CM Houses while families died, she claimed.
The PML-N VP, when asked about the opposition’s anti-government movement, said that political parties would have to follow orders from the people, meaning that it was the people who wanted the government to leave.
Maryam inquired about Bilal’s health and wished him a swift recovery during her visit with him. Bilal, she added, took an active role in her mother’s election campaign and stayed loyal to her father, Nawaz Sharif. She praised him for his everlasting devotion.
Bilal also expressed gratitude to Maryam for paying him a visit.
Maryam’s assertion of a no-holds-barred approach represents a reversal from her previous position of not considering a motion of no-confidence without any guarantees, as suggested by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).
Her declaration, however, comes on the same day that the opposition in the National Assembly (NA) was given another setback when it failed to muster enough support to prevent the mini-budget from being enacted, therefore putting an end to any chances of an in-house shift.
On the other hand, there is talk in party levels about reuniting the PPP with the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to start an united campaign.
It’s worth noting that the PPP and the PDM have both announced long marches to Islamabad.
