Distancing from the dinner reception hosted by her party president Shahbaz Sharif held on Monday for the parliamentarians of the PPP, the ANP, and other opposition party leaders, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz reiterated on Tuesday the gathering was not of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
PML-N Vice-President Maryam told reporters outside court Shehbaz hosted the dinner as the opposition leader only to devise a strategy for the budget session, whereas the PDM would go ahead with its meeting within two days to decide the alliance’s future course of action.
She said she had nothing to do with the dinner for she was not a parliamentarian and that “stop making an issue out of everything”.
“Shahbaz Sharif has the role of opposition leader. He hosted the dinner for parliamentarians. Why would I have to be there?” she said.
The PML-N vice-president said a vote of no confidence against Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in the Punjab Assembly was not on the table, as the Opposition had the upper hand.
Maryam said the PPP has yet to respond regarding their plan to return to the alliance, and if so, the PPP will have to address PDM’s concerns.
She supported former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s decision to resign from the post of PDM general-secretary “if PPP rejoins the alliance,” claiming Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N have the same position on the matter.
Responding to another question, she claimed the government had “lied” about the gross domestic product (GDP) growth, which even the ruling party’s own representatives are not ready to accept. The PML-N leader said people from all walks of life have been affected by inflation.