In an interview on Dawn News show “Doosra Rukh,” Shah stated, “We were there 16 months [in the government]. We made a mistake, forgive us. We committed a mistake.” He emphasized the need to move past the past and urged for a specific election date.
Regarding the PPP’s initial congratulatory message to caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar and subsequent accusations of favoritism towards the PML-N, Shah explained, “The PML-N is part of that [caretaker government], we are not. We could also have joined and secured four ministries, but we realized that by doing so, we might hinder the prospect of timely elections.” He stressed that the PPP’s primary goal was to ensure elections proceed in accordance with the law and the Constitution.
Shah called on Nawaz Sharif to engage in a discussion with PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari to ensure the smooth conduct of elections and urged him to uphold his slogan of “respect for the vote.”
PML-N Senator Ishaq Dar responded to the criticism from the PPP by highlighting the positive working relationship between the two parties, stating that it was inappropriate to respond to critical statements. He indicated that their relationship would continue in the future.
According to a Dawn report, the PML-N has decided to re-establish “close coordination” with its former coalition government allies to reduce political tensions and focus on securing relief for Nawaz Sharif in graft cases. This decision was made during a meeting at Jati Umra and will involve discussions with the PPP, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl, and other parties of the “defunct” PDM in the coming week.
Senior PPP leader Khursheed Shah publicly admitted that the party’s decision to join the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s 16-month-long coalition government was a “mistake” and requested forgiveness for the move. This announcement followed intense criticism from the PPP regarding the treatment of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif upon his return to Pakistan and raised concerns about a level playing field as the country gears up for upcoming elections in January next year.