PDM leaders announce renewal of coalition to form govt

PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari has said that he and other political leaders gathered with him have decided to form the government together.

“We will take Pakistan out of difficulty,” he said, adding that reconciliation was also needed and PTI was included in that process.

“This is not that we want that PTI does not enter reconciliation. It should and every other political force should, come and talk with us. Our economic and defence agenda should be common. We should move forward with our commonalities and then make the house of Sharif and others successful so we can make Pakistan successful.”

Zardari said that he and other political leaders realise the level of debt in the country and are aware of the issues affecting the country.

“Looking at everything, we have thought and decided to sit together. We have contested elections against each other but despite that, it is not necessary that [we fight] forever. Opposition happens in elections. It was electioneering opposition, not ideological opposition.”

Zardari said the leaders could sit together and talk together and run the country together.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif said the political leaders together with him have gathered to tell the nation that election politics of opposition was over and now was the time with the Parliament to form.

“Now our war is against the country’s challenges. The first challenge is the economy. We have to stabilise it which is a tall task. Nations move forward when their leadership unites and decides to end conflicts and take the nation forward to eliminate problems.”

Shehbaz Sharif said the next task on the agenda is to solve the country’s economic issues.

“Today we have united to tell the nation that we all accept the split mandate. I am thankful to Zardari and Bilawal that they decided for their party to vote for the PML-N,” he said and thanked the other gathered leaders as well.

Shehbaz said the other gathered parties with represented him “almost 2/3 majority” of the Parliament after elections.

PML-N President again called for an end to “issues of ego”, adding that the need is for “revolutionary steps” to rescue the country’s economy.

“Come and I again invite the Charter of Economy to everyone. Come, move forward and let’s together promote the Charter of Democracy and end the things we said against one another.”

He said the enemies of the nation should be shown that it is united.

“Forgive and forget. Let us have this charter of reconciliation.”

MQM-Pakistan Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said that no interest could be greater than serving Pakistan for any party at the moment.

“With mutual cooperation, we will strengthen democracy and support Mian Shehbaz Sharif. We have supported him before and will do so in future,” he told a news conference with political bigwigs including Asif Ali Zardari, Shehbaz Sharif and others present alongside.

Siddiqui said everyone must put aside their political interests and move ahead with a common approach to serve the country.

Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) leader Aleem Khan has said that Pakistan was going through an extremely difficult phase with inflation impacting the poor and economic crisis aggravating.

Addressing a press conference with political bigwigs in attendance, Khan said everyone had to step up for difficult decisions, which were beneficial for the country.

“I am hopeful the upcoming government of Shehbaz Sharif will efficiently take such decisions and end miseries of the poor,” he added.

He said he was thankful to Chaudhry Shujaat for inviting all political leaders for important discussions.