ISLAMABAD - PPP Parliamentary Leader in the Senate, Senator Sherry Rehman yesterday said the PPP was not answerable to anyone but the people of Pakistan.

She said the Pakistan Democratic Movement does not have a constitution through which they can issue show cause notices to any party.

“We are only answerable to our party and workers. It is up to our CEC (Central Executive Committee) to decide how we will take it forward. We prefer to have a dialogue in an amicable environment where everyone is treated equally. Democracy cannot thrive in an environment where people are being dictated on what to do. Leader of the opposition was decided on the basis of PPP’s majority of 21 seats in the senate and no one can deny this,” she added. She said, “Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is one of the founders of PDM and we all want to remove the Selected Sarkar. They are responsible for destroying our state institutions. Unemployment is rising and our economy is on the ventilator. Since our goal is mutual, it does not make sense to criticise each other and get distracted. The option to have a dialogue should always be available in a democracy”.

The PPP leader said the PPP had always been ready for the long march and were expecting to discuss the nuts and bolts of the March because we take it very seriously.

“But instead we were asked to suddenly resign from assemblies where we have been elected to protect the legislation that guarantees the rights of vulnerable people, provinces and the strength of the federation,” she added.

The lawmaker said the PPP could also issue a charge sheet but “we thought it better facilitated allies in Punjab especially. We had withdrawn our candidates in the senate election in Punjab where they were in majority yet we never publicly charge sheeted them on what happened in Punjab with so many unopposed senators coming in.”

At the same time, she said, “we are a democratic party and we believe our target should be the selected Govt, not each other. PPP is in touch with all PDM parties and will continue to keep our doors open for reasonable discussion but we will not accept anyone’s dictation.”

She said: “The government is in a vulnerable position now. They are threatened by the victories of the opposition in parliament and we have managed to defeat them in the bye elections too as well as massive defeat in the NA. The United PDM has the power to send this government home. We all need to be rational and think about the future of our country. If they don’t want to do that, we certainly will fight on.”

Vice President PPPP Senator Sherry Rehman concluded by saying,the government’s “performance is in front of everyone. PPP will not give up on the people’s agenda which is to get relief from the tsunami of destruction they have wrought, and will continue opposing them.”