PDM leadership says they remain united despite attempt to create wedge

Maryam condemning the arrest of her husband Captain (retd) Safdar Awan from a private hotel has said the arrest was an attempt to create division in PDM ranks, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Maryam blamed Sindh Police for arresting her husband while surprisingly in the same press talk JUI-F Maulana Fazal ur Rehman put all blame of captain (rtd) Safdar Awan on Rangers.

Narrating the incident of her husband's arrest from the hotel's room, she said, “Police reached at the hotel’s room door at the time when we were sleeping around 6am in the morning. Someone was knocking at the door. I heard a voice and thought there was some construction going on.”

“Safdar opened the door and the Sindh police were there. Safdar asked time to change clothes but to no avail, suddenly some people came in and took him away from the room.”

She said there were no slogans raised for Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz at the Quaid’s mausoleum.

The government is trying to give the impression that the Sindh government is behind this, said Maryam, "but Bilawal had called me and he was very angry".

"Sindh chief minister also called me and said that he never expected that something like this would happen with me," said Maryam. "I never thought even for a moment that PPP was behind this; they thought they can drive a wedge between PDM — we know things like this would happen, we are ready as well."

She defended the slogans raised during her visit to Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah's mausoleum on Sunday, saying: "What is wrong with repeating Quaid-i-Azam's stance at his mausoleum? What is wrong with Madar-i-Millat (mother of the nation) slogans? No one chanted slogans for Nawaz Sharif or myself."

"We all know who hates the vote ko izzat do (honour the vote) slogan [...] We all know who these namaloom afraad (unidentified persons) are."

She denied that murder threats were issued while the slogans were being raised. "There were so many people, who would have heard this threat and why would anyone threaten to kill you?" she asked.

"If someone thinks they can scare Nawaz Sharif with such tactics, they are wrong. Instead of blackmailing me through my relatives, if you have the courage, come and arrest me."

She said former military ruler retired Gen Pervez Musharraf made "blunder upon blunder" towards the end of his rule and added that the PTI government's "situation will soon be the same".

"I am not angry; whatever we do, we will do after giving it a proper thought. We are not in a hurry," Maryam said about her party's future course of action.

Maryam said was this the answers of those questions raised by the former prime minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in his speeches to Pakistan Democratic, an alliance of 11 opposition parties.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif was addressing a joint press conference along with JUI-F Maulana Fazal ur Rehman in Karachi.

Maryam said, “Bilawal talked said to me this disgrace happened to our guest and our sister and mother. CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah was also apologetic.”

However, JUI-F chief alleged that Rangers intruded in the hotel's room and arrested Maryam's husband Captain (retd) Safdar Awan.

JUI Chief termed the incident shameful and said such incidents did not happen in civilised societies. He said it was an attempt to create a difference between PPP and PDM but all such efforts would be failed.

"Is this the respect for a woman in our society? This is a government of force, of oppression which does not consider itself bound to the law and the Constitution," said Fazl.

He said after only two public meetings by the opposition, the PTI-led government appears unnerved. "Their days are numbered."

"This attack is not on Maryam but on entire PDM. Maryam is a guest of the Sindh government and PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has regretted this act."

PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said no society could allow such a "shameful" act. He said the act of "barging into the room of members of a respectable family" while they were sleeping could not be condemned enough. He said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah was "kept uninformed" of this act, which showed the PTI government was "panicking".

According to Ashraf, Bilawal and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari had expressed sadness over the incident. He said Maryam was a guest of Sindh.

He said Bilawal had asked Shah to hold a "complete investigation" into the incident, adding that the details of the inquiry will be presented before the nation. He also demanded the immediate release of Safdar.

Sindh government Information Minister Nasir Hussain Shah apologized to Maryam Nawaz that the arrest incident of Captain (retd) Safdar took place in the PPP regime.

The TV channel also reported, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had a telephonic talk with PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz in which Bilawal condemned the arrest of Safdar Awan.

Bilawal also expressed solidarity with Maryam Nawaz and said the arrest of Captain Safdar is a shock to him.

Bilawal Bhutto said: “The manner in which Safdar Awan was arrested is against the traditions of Sindh. The Sindh government was not informed about the arrest.”

Bilawal directed Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to conduct a full investigation into the incident and asked to take all measures to ensure his release.