Opposition parties to hold APC on Sept 20 at Zardari House

ISLAMABAD: The opposition parties have announced holding an All Parties Conference (APC) on September 20 later this month at the Zardari House in the capital.

Addressing a press conference here in Islamabad, opposition leaders — including the former prime minister and PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, MNA and JUI leader Akram Khan Durrani, and former interior minister and PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, slammed the incumbent PTI-led government for “destroying” Pakistan in its two years.

Durrani said that the incumbent government’s pathetic performance has left the opposition no choice but to ensure that free, fair and transparent elections are held to determine the future of the country.

“We want free and fair elections in the country, with no interference whatsoever,” he added, terming the 2018 general elections “a disgrace to the whole country”.

Durrani said that the opposition parties had decided during their consultations that they could not grant even a single day to the PTI government to remain in power.

PPP’s Ashraf said the opposition parties have been clear that “we will not back down on any legislation in the country’s interest and present our amendments to laws in the proposed legislation that are in conflict with human rights”.

Responding to a question, Durrani said that the APC will decide whether they would go for an in-house change or issue the demand for a fresh election across the country.

Ashraf rejected PM Imran’s criticism that the opposition had bulldozed the FATF-related legislation, adding that it had done so to ensure the government does not use legislation against the opposition. He said that it was “wrong and absurd” to think that the opposition would want Pakistan to be kept in the FATF’s grey list.

PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal slammed Prime Minister Imran Khan, criticising him for likening the opposition’s and India’s stance on the FATF. He said that PM Imran should have been as ‘speedy’ on the Kashmir issue with India as he was on criticising the opposition.

“I wish Imran Khan would have been as speedy for the Kashmir issue as he is at coming up with cases against the opposition. What kind of democracy is this where the opposition is labelled as treasonous?”