LAHORE. The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will be holding a rally today [Saturday] in Faisalabad. However, Shehbaz Sharif’s, the president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) – on which success of the power show depends – will not attend the event.
“The PML-N workers are motivated and all geared up to listen to the speech of Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif,” a party worker from Dhobi Ghat area told Bol News.
A senior party leader also told Bol News that it is expected that Maryam will deliver another hard-hitting speech in which she would not only target Prime Minister Imran Khan led PTI government but also the state institutions.
“She is expected to talk about inflation, extension in tenure of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman and the controversy over appointment of new Inter-Services Intelligence chief,” said the leader.
This will be precisely the reason why PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif will be conspicuous by his absence, giving credence to the claims that all is not well in the biggest opposition party, said another leader.
“Shehbaz will not be attending the PDM’s power show in Faisalabad as he is somewhat sure that like the recent past Maryam will make another hard-hitting speech targeting the state institutions that will badly affect his and some other senior leaders efforts to develop and strengthen ties with powerful state institutions,” the leader who is close to Shehbaz Sharif added.
JUI-F chief and PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman during a recent meeting in Lahore requested the PML-N president to personally attend the PDM’s power show in Faisalabad on October 16.
“He (Shehbaz) has, however, excused himself saying he is not feeling well and has a backache.
“Actually he doesn’t want to be seen on the stage from where his niece is expected to unnecessarily bash the state institutions. This is definitely not his narrative, which is more in favour of reconciliation with the institutions,” the leader told Bol News.
“Shehbaz strongly believes that Maryam and her narrative is badly damaging the party and would deal a decisive blow to the PML-N in the upcoming elections,” the leader added.
Sources added that Shehbaz has informed the PDM head that he is feeling a bit better but still needs more days to fully recover. “Although some party leaders who are close to both camps told Shehbaz Sharif to at least show his presence in the PDM’s rally through video link at least,” a source said.
A senior PDM leader said the other PDM’ parties including the JUI-F are dependent upon the PML-N as they have no penetration or presence in Punjab and especially Faisalabad which is a PML-N stronghold.
“So they are completely dependent on the PML-N and even the success or failure of the PDM’s power show will be because of the PML-N,” he added.