LAHORE: The opposition parties, under the banner of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), have decided to take part in the upcoming by-polls, while decisions about the Senate elections will be taken later.
“Basically we are not against taking part in elections. We will take part in by-polls,” PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said while addressing a press conference following an important meeting hosted by the PML-N in Jati Umra, Lahore.
The PDM chief, flanked by PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and other PDM leaders, said that the 11-party alliance is stronger than before, and rumours about conflicts within the party are false.
Maulana Fazl reiterated that the government only has one month to resign, after which PDM will start planning the long march. “The final date of the long-march on Islamabad will be announced after January 31,” he added.
Talking about the resignations, Maulana Fazl said the constituent parties of the PDM have informed in the meeting that they have collected resignations from all of their parliamentarians.
The JUI-F chief also accused the establishment of installing the “puppet government” into power. “It has been decided in the meeting that from today onwards PDM will not only criticize PM Imran but also the establishment,” he remarked.
He alleged that the establishment has held the country hostage and is meddling in the political affairs of the country. He also announced to hold protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) offices.
In response to a query, he said that many of the decisions taken during the meeting prior to the conference are confidential. Adding to the topic of resignations, PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that her party members have already submitted their resignations to her.
