Shehbaz Sharif telephones Bilawal Bhutto, agrees to hold APC soon

KARACHI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday telephoned Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, ARY NEWS reported.

The top leaders of their parties discussed the overall political situation in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Bilawal Bhutto blamed that the government was intentionally carrying out fewer tests to conceal exact figures of the COVID-19 cases.

The federal government has failed to cope up with the ongoing situation, he said adding that the masses were unable to earn their livelihood during the incumbent tenure.

Both leaders also discussed prospects of holding the multi-parties conference and agreed to convene it soon.

It is pertinent to mention here that the contact between the leadership of top opposition parties came after a report claimed that cracks have started to appear between the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaderships after the latter showed no interest in mounting pressure on the incumbent federal government.

Quoting sources, it said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has left Lahore after a week-long visit and during the stay, several attempts were made to make contact with the PML-N leadership.

“The PML-N leadership did not give a satisfactory response to the approaches made by the PPP,” they said.

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The sources said that the opposition had suggested holding a multi-party conference before the passage of federal Budget 2020-21. “The PML-N did not respond to the suggestion and even their lawmakers remained absent during budget debate,” they said.

Sources close to the PPP leadership said that since Shehbaz Sharif is the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, he should have led the charge against the government during the budget debate.

The former ruling party in the Punjab province seems uninterested in mounting pressure on the incumbent government, they said.