Opposition plans 'decisive' anti-govt drive after Eid.

Byline: Amir Wasim

ISLAMABAD -- AnnoAunAcing that they would go ahead with their individual plans of anti-government protests, the leaders of the country's major opposition parties said on Sunday they would devise their future course of action and a 'joint strategy' at a multi-party conference (MPC) to be organised by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) soon after Eid, adding they could no longer allow the government to continue to 'ruin the country'.

Addressing a news conference after a well-attended Iftar dinner hosted by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the leaders of 11 political parties vowed to launch a 'decisive movement' aimed at 'establishing supremacy of parliament and restoration of real democracy' in the country.

Former president Asif Ali Zardari, who was present at the Iftar dinner, skipped the news conference which was spearheaded by Mr Bhutto-Zardari and Maryam Nawaz, the younger generations of the leadership of the country's main opposition parties and arch rivals of the past - the PPP and the PML-N.

Maryam, Fazl, Sherpao, Bizenjo attend Bilawal's Iftar dinner; JUI to call multi-party conference

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said every party had its own manifesto and programme, but they believed that no individual or political party alone could steer the country out of the crises.

Thanking all participants, he said they had discussed the prevailing 'political situation, economic crisis and the state of democracy and human rights' in the country.

He said almost all parties had already announced their protest campaigns which would go ahead inside and outside the parliament as per plan, but at the same time they had decided to meet again at an MPC which would be hosted by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who later said that he would announce the date for the MPC soon after Eidul Fitr, falling in the first week of June.

The Maulana said the 'incompetent and non-representative government' had brought the country at the verge of collapse.

Sources told Dawn that in the meeting, Maulana Fazl was in favour of launching a full-fledged anti-government movement soon after Eid, stating that 'they are already too late'.

The sources quoted Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chief Aftab Sherpao as saying that opposition should launch the protest campaign only after making 'full preparations' as they could not afford to leave it midway. He also suggested that they should take the business community and traders from Karachi to Khyber on board to make their campaign...