ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) have rejected the idea of resigning from assemblies in the All Parties Conference (APC) held in federal capital on Wednesday.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazl-ur-Rehman presided over the APC for formulating a joint strategy and future course-of-action against the government.

He put a suggestion before the meeting to resign from assemblies; however, the main opposition parties said resignations are not a solution to national issues.

Both PML-N and PPP said they would not be able to effectively push their stance outside parliament, adding that a joint strategy should be opted inside and outside the parliament against incumbent government.

Meanwhile, JUI-F chief urged all opposition political parties to observe a “black day” on July 25 as what he said worst election rigging had happened that day while referring to July 25, 2018 when PTI secured majority of the seats in the National Assembly and came into power.

Importantly, Fazl has also urged opposition members of the National Assembly to tender their resignation from the House.

Senior leaders of many political parties are attending the APC.

A five-member delegation of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) comprising of former premier Yousaf Raza Gillani, former chairman of the Senate Raza Rabbani, Nayyar Bukhari, Sherry Rehman and Farhatullah Babar are representing their party. Later, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also arrived in the conference.

A 14-member delegation of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) led by its president Shehbaz Sharif and vice-president Maryam Nawaz are also attending the APC.

Other party leaders of the PML-N including Raja Zafarul Haq, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Amir Muqam, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Shah Muhammad Shah, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Ranasana Ullah are also invited to participate in the APC.

Maryam Nawaz has already arrived in Islamabad for that purpose.

Besides, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, and delegations from Awami National Party (ANP) and JUI-F are also attending the APC.

On the other hand, Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal has decided not to participate in the APC after holding an advisory meeting. He forwarded a written message to the JUI-F chief via Maulana Asad Mehmood.

Later, Prime Minister Imran Khan held a meeting with a delegation of the BNP-M led by Mengal. Both leaders examined the progress on Mengal’s six-point agenda and development works in Balochistan.

The ANP has suggested all opposition parties to put a joint effort for changing the chairman of the Senate.

On June 24, Fazl formally invited several prominent leaders of different political parties to attend the opposition’s APC, and had a telephonic conversation with Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif, Awami National Party (ANP) chief Asfandyar Wali Khan, National Party (NP) chief Hasil Bizenjo and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai. —NNI