PML-N Vice-President and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday held in-depth talks in their meeting at Jati Umra where they discussed a range of issues including the coming Senate elections and the PDM affairs, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Both the leaders also pondered upon the joint strategy for contesting the Senate elections with each other’s support.

Later, addressing a joint news conference, Maryam lashed out at Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government, accusing both of committing “crimes against humanity”.

Maryam was all praise for the PDM's joint candidate from Islamabad for Senate election, former prime minister Gilani. "Yousaf Raza Gillani is not only the PDM's candidate but he has a cordial personality," she said, adding the PML-N fully backs him as its joint candidate for the Senate seat.

"I hope every pro-democracy person will not vote for the PTI [in the Senate elections] because we think the PTI is guilty of crimes against the people and Imran Khan is guilty of crimes against the nation," added Maryam.

Referring to the upcoming Senate elections, Maryam said "There is a line on which one side, democratic forces stand and on the other, those who are guilty of crimes against the nation".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-idjDW4Y5hM 

In response to a question, Maryam said that it is never news when the establishment does not involve itself in politics. "In my opinion, if they are not involved in politics, then it is better for not only them but also for our institutions and for the democracy in the country," she said.

Bilawal said the government had suffered defeats in the recent by-elections, from Pishin to Sialkot. "The people have rejected them in every by-election," he said. "I believe two decisions taken by the PDM — one to contest the by-elections and the other to partake in the Senate polls — have completely changed the political situation and has made the government uneasy," added Bilawal.

The PPP leader said that the PDM was not bringing about a no-confidence movement against the government at the moment and was only contesting the Senate elections. "We took the decisions to contest the by-elections and the Senate elections together. When it comes to sending this government home, we will also decide as to when we will do that, through consensus," he added.

"Yes, we are in contact with every member of the parliament and are trying to get them to vote for our candidates," he said.

Maryam Nawaz said, “The PML-N is supporting Yousaf Raza Gilani on the Senate seat.”

She claimed that ruling PTI’s popularity is plunging and there are visible cracks in the party in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and every democracy-lover will not vote for the PTI now.

She refuted the claims that she agreed to go abroad and said, “If I had agreed to going abroad then why there was a fake FIR against me.” 

“This is a fake government and we will not sit with them,” she vowed.

Bilawal thanked the PML-N supremo for extending support to PPP candidate Yousaf Raza Gilani. “Giliani’s election campaign is going good. Recent by-elections showed that people are with the PDM.”

Bilawal also demanded the release of Opposition Leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz and PPP leader Khursheed Shah. 

The TV channel reported Bilawal Bhutto after meeting with Maryam Nawaz, reached Allama Iqbal International Airport from where he will fly to Karachi.

Earlier, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari accompanied by a delegation reached Jati Umra where Maryam Nawaz welcomed him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVsdMKwrNYQ

The PML-N delegation included Ahsan Iqbal, Pervez Rashid, Rana Sanaullah, Saad Rafique and Maryam Aurangzeb.

The PPP delegation included Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, Makhdoom Ahmad Mahmood, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Chaudhry Manzoor and Syed Hassan Murtaza.

https://twitter.com/MediaCellPPP/status/1364845757417725956 

PML-N and PPP won the recently held by-elections in Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while the NA-75 by-poll became controversial after violence erupted on the polling day and as many as 20 Presiding Officers (POs) went missing.