LAHORE, Nov 23: Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has categorically asked the PML-N leadership to resign from both national and provincial assemblies in order to bring about a change in the country by getting rid of the incompetent government.

“During Tuesday’s meeting with the PML-N leaders headed by Nawaz Sharif at Raiwind I have suggested that if the PML-N leadership wants to get rid of the incapable rulers, they will have to come out of assemblies,” Qureshi told Dawn.

Asked what was PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif’s response, he said the leadership didn’t oppose his opinion. “They didn’t oppose my suggestion and said this option exists on the part of the PML-N.”

Qureshi said he had floated the proposal because of their seriousness about getting rid of the incompetent people. “The PML-N being a major and second largest political party can do a lot for bringing about a change in the country. So if it resigns from assemblies it can play a major role in this regard.”

On the other hand, some Multan-based sources told this reporter that Mr Qureshi might announce establishing his own political group. They claimed that Mr Qureshi was seriously thinking about this option after being `confused’ about either to join the PML-N or the PTI.

“Actually Qureshi enjoys good relations with Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan and he doesn’t want to annoy any of them. That is why he is thinking about this option to form a separate pressure group amid support of the disgruntled PPP parliamentarians including the members of an emerging PPP forward bloc,” a source told this reporter on Wednesday.

He said Mr Qureshi who wanted to hold a grand rally in Ghotki on Nov 27 (Sunday), would also discuss this option with the PPP forward bloc members in a meeting scheduled for Thursday (today) evening in Multan. He said though the entire PPP forward bloc members had not yet given any positive response to the party leadership despite being contacted by the Presidency during the last few days, they had already assured Mr Qureshi of their full support in any case if he joined PML-N or PTI or formed a separate group.

Another source said Mr Qureshi’s thinking to develop a separate group would not only be helpful for him in maintaining good relations with PML-N, PTI and other political parties (not in the government) but would also be supportive mainly to PML-N leadership that seemed to be desperate to end the PPP government. He said Mr Qureshi had also contacted the leadership of PPP (Shaheed Bhutto) in order to get its support for his group in case he announced it in his upcoming rally in Ghotki.

“Actually Qureshi was initially planning to get all factions of the PML united and then join it. But when he observed that the current political scenario was not feasible for it, he dropped this option. About PTI, he (Qureshi) is not considering joining it despite the fact that some of his family members want so,” the source said.

When contacted, a PPP MPA from Multan who also heads the forward bloc, Dr Akhtar Malik, said though he and his colleagues had not yet taken a final decision to leave the party, he and other forward bloc members wanted to support Mr Qureshi.

Malik said he along with the entire forward bloc members would participate in the public meeting in Ghotki.

Talking about Qureshi’s new political strategy and delay in decision to join the PML-N or the PTI, Malik said: “A major change is expected in the political scenario and all about this will be revealed in Qureshi’s rally. As Mr Qureshi has already left all of his options open, he will announce about his decision on Nov 27.”

He said the entire forward bloc members were tentatively scheduled to meet Mr Qureshi on Thursday (today). Commenting on establishing his own political group, Qureshi said: “I will announce my future strategy in Ghotki.”

When contacted PML-N Secretary Information Ahsan Iqbal said as Shah Mahmood Qureshi had already asked the PML-N leadership to resign from assemblies during his press conference in Islamabad, he also reiterated it during his meeting with PML-N leaders at Raiwind. “Our leadership will decide to use it when we feel it necessary in order to have a meaningful result by keeping in view the exact time and the changing political scenario.”

Ahsan said the PML-N leadership was of the view that resigning from assemblies in Punjab alone wouldn’t be forceful at the moment to get rid of the PPP government, as it needs to have an effective mobilisation in other provinces too. He said Mr Qureshi also told the PML-N leadership about the reasons for quitting PPP.