NAWABSHAH: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf vice chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that the general elections may be held before 2018, hinting that if the Pakistan Peoples Party stood firm on its decision to launch a movement against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Dec 27, the PTI will possibly support it.

Speaking to the media at the residence of a party leader, Gul Mohammed Rind, in Sakrand on Sunday, Mr Qureshi described PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s four demands to the prime minister as “reasonable” and said he [Mr Qureshi] supported them.

“We are waiting for the deadline given to Mr Sharif and if the PPP launches a movement against him, I will request [PTI chairman] Imran Khan to think about support it,” he said.

He said that the Panama leaks issue went to the Supreme Court because the parliament failed to hold an inquiry or do the required legislation.He apprehended that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) was trying to bring the 24th constitutional amendment with the intention to neutralise the expected effects of the SC verdict on the Panamagate case.

Regarding India’s threat to block flow of rivers’ water to Pakistan, Mr Qureshi termed it a “very serious threat” and said if India tried to do so, each and every Pakistani would stand up against New Delhi. He, however, expressed the view that India would not resort to breaching the relevant treaty.

The PTI leader paid tribute to the army and paramilitary Rangers force for restoring law and order in Karachi and expressed his confidence that peace in that city would invite huge investments.

He observed that the people of Sindh, especially those of Karachi, were looking for an alternative leadership. “They are not satisfied with the policies and performance of the PPP [government],” he added.

In this context, he criticised the provincial government for not helping growers get their rights. He noted that the “sugar industry mafia” was denying a reasonable rate of cane growers’ produce but the government failed to fix and implement a reasonable official rate.

HYDERABAD: Speaking to the media in Hyderabad at the residence of PPP leader Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman after meeting him on Sunday, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that his party and the PPP had worked jointly on the ToRs for the Panama leaks inquiry commission but due to [PML-N] government’s obstinacy, the efforts proved to be an exercise in futility.

He said it was the government’s stubbornness that the PTI had to take to the streets. He observed that the PTI and PPP shared a same viewpoint on the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and Panamagate. The PTI was holding Nawaz Sharif accountable and the accountability process had already begun.

He said the PTI supported the four demands made to the prime minister by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

He said the PTI did not have any differences with the Turkish president, who recently visited Pakistan, but it was due to [differences with the] PM Sharif that his party did not attend the parliament’s joint session. “We had shared our view with the Turkish ambassador as well,” he added.

Earlier, the PTI leader condoled with Makhdoom Jamiluzzaman and other family members the recent death of PPP-Parliamen­tarians president Makhdoom Amin Fahim and paid homage to the veteran politician. Mr Qureshi, along with the Makhdooms of Matiari, visited the shrine of Makhdoom Sarwar Nooh to offer Fateha and lay a wreath on Amin Fahim’s grave.

Mr Qureshi told the people present there that Makhdoom Amin Fahim was a fine politician and he always believed in politics of dignity. He never ditched the PPP although he was offered top positions in the federal government.

He paid tribute to the late leader for his great contribution to democracy and the role he played in the movement for the restoration of democracy.

He said that being a spiritual leader he cherished his spiritual relations with the Makhdoom family [of Matiari] more.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2016