Bilawal, Maryam, Fazl to be prominent at much-awaited APC on Sunday

As PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif managed to convince JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman to attend the Sunday’s All Parties Conference (APC), a large delegation of the main opposition will attend the event.

The much-awaited gathering will be hosted by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who has been very active in contacting the leaders of the opposition parties in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday reported that Maryam Nawaz – the PML-N vice-president who is known for her aggressive views and political approach – would be among those attending the APC.

Sources say Maryam would leave Lahore in the afternoon and spend the night in Murree. On Sunday morning, she would reach the opposition leader’s residence in the Ministers’ Enclave in Islamabad.

They added that Maryam was attending the event on the special directives of Nawaz Sharif, as 24NewsHD TV also reported that a 13-member PML-N delegation will participate in the APC. 

Similarly, it is said that former president Asif Ali Zardari may also address the gathering via video link.  

The gathering is expected to formulate the future course of action amid the current situation and the misunderstandings among the main and smaller political parties.

PPP leader Nayyer Hussain Bokhari had earlier said that a seven-member delegation led by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and comprising former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif, Ahsan Iqbal, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Amir Muqam and Marriyum Aurangzeb would attend the gathering.

He said the JUI-F was to be represented by Fazl, Akram Durrani and Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, however, the opposition parties could change the composition of delegations as it was their prerogative.

Earlier, Nawaz not only accepted the invitation by Bilawal to attend the gathering via video link but, separately, also convinced the JUI-F chief to participate in the conference.

During a telephonic contact, Nawaz and Fazl discussed the prevailing political situation in the country as the PML-N supremo addressed the seasoned political leader’s reservations.

Fazl endorsed Nawaz’s plan to address the APC through video link and urged him to play an active role in the anti-government movement. 

Keeping in view the contact between Sharif and Fazl, sources say the opposition parties are expected to take tough decisions vis-à-vis the anti-government campaign. 

Also on Friday, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Friday spoke to Nawaz on phone and invited him to join the opposition’s APC. In a tweet, Bilawal said he spoke to the PML-N supremo and inquired after his health.

https://twitter.com/BBhuttoZardari/status/1306958831474405376  

Meanwhile, a joint delegation of PPP and PML-N met Durrani – the head of the opposition parties’ coordination panel which is formally named as Rahbar Committee – to discuss the two-point APC agenda.

The two-point agenda means the opposition leaders would discuss the PTI government’s two-year performance and formulate the line of action for future.