LAHORE - President Pakistan Democratic Alliance (PDM) Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Sunday said that PDM workers and leaders will show up during Maryam Nawaz’s appearance in NAB on March 26 in a show of solidarity.

“The reasons cited by NAB for cancellation of Maryam’s bail clearly show that it is a puppet institution,” he said while talking to the media along with PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Earlier, the PDM chief had a meeting with Maryam Nawaz, Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah and other PML-N leaders at Raiwind on Sunday afternoon to discuss the future strategy of the 10-party alliance.  

While criticising NAB for its move to get the bail of Maryam Nawaz cancelled, he said that this institution had the mandate to combat corruption but not to play subservient to other institutions. He also called it a “puppet institution. Pledging that the PDM workers and leaders will be there when Maryam Nawaz appears before the NAB, Fazlur Rehman said they would not be in ‘hundreds’ but ‘thousands’ in number. 

He said JUI-F workers will also be part of the gathering. About the leaders who would be present on the occasion, he said the matter would be decided later on. “But it is final that we will be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her”, he said.  

Asked if the rest of nine parties in the PDM will consider addressing the reservations of the PPP, Fazlur Rehman said that the PPP was a big party and even a small party within the alliance had any reservations the alliance would have be considered its point of view.

Replying to a question about the possibility of a long march without the PPP, Maryam Nawaz said that although the JUI-F and the PML-N were capable of leading the long march on their own, it would be better if all the parties represent the people together. “We have held big public gatherings before in our constituencies”, she said.  Maulana added: “The long march “will InshaAllah take place”.

Asked will the government not get strengthened over the split in the PDM, she said that its fate was not linked with the PDM. “We are trying to keep the alliance intact, but the government’s fate will be determined by its performance. She said that irrespective of the PDM’s struggle, Imran Khan will have to answer for his government’s incompetence.  

She said PDM will fully represent and safeguard the interests of the people. To a question about differences with Hamza Shehbaz, she rejected such reporters as “shameful lies” reported by some news channels. She said Hamza Shehbaz had participated in the luncheon meeting hosted in honor of Fazlur Rehman and had to leave to meet the doctor who is treating her daughter for her heart condition.

In response to a question about a consensus candidate in NA-249, the PML-N vice president said that the talks were underway between the PPP and the PML-N in this regard. “We will let you know when a decision is reached”, she said.

Responding to a question about differences with the PPP over nomination of leader of the Opposition in the Senate, she said the slot would go to the PML-N as a “principled decision” had already been reached from the PDM platform. Maryam explained that all component parties of the PDM had agreed that they would vote for PPP’s Yousuf Raza Gilani for the slot of Senate chairman and JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri for the deputy chairman, while the office of opposition leader would be given to the PML-N.

Maryam further stated that PDM had not taken any such decision that if they lost the election of chairman Senate, the decision about the slot of opposition leader will be reconsidered. “A principled decision has been taken and I hope that all parties will abide by it.” she maintained.