ISLAMABAD - Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry termed the All Parties Conference (APC) a dinner party for sweet pudding. Talking to media persons here in Islamabad, Fawad Chaudhry said that most of the parties in the APC are those who have no roots in the public and are a one-man show. Commenting on the PPP, he said that during the leadership of Benazir Bhutto, PPP was a major political party of the country with an effective voice, but Asif Ali Zardari confined this once major political party to Sindh. Now Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has confined PPP to interior Sindh and Larkana, he added.

Commenting on PML-N, the minister said that PML-N workers are confused; they don’t know who their leader is; Nawaz Sharif or Shahbaz Sharif. He said PML-N workers do not know who their representative is among Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Khawaja Asif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Fawad Chaudhry claimed that the participants of APC are more interested in drinking tea instead of drafting political strategy. He also added that Maulana Fazlur Rehman was likely to attend today’s APC with pudding platters.

Raising questions on objectives and effectiveness of the APC, Fawad Chaudhry stated that ÀPC could not be effective when it is going to be held on the agenda of sweet pudding (Halwa). “The government has no issue with this APC, as it is being arranged for a dinner get-together.” Speaking about the recent furor over the assets of cabinet advisors, the minister said that in a parliamentary system unelected members can’t participate in decision making, adding that only elected members should participate in decision making. The minister also stated that the government has been facing difficulties in this regard. He asked that in accordance of the Constitution of Pakistan individuals with dual nationality can’t even visit parliament, so how they can become part of the cabinet.