ISLAMABAD: The opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will hold a crucial meeting on Thursday (today) to finalize its plan of action against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.
The meeting in Islamabad will be chaired by PDM President and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and will be attended by the leaders of constituent parties including PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, while former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Zardari will join via video link.
The meeting is likely to consider three options for the next phase of its anti-government campaign – resignations from assemblies, long march and no-confidence motion against the federal and Punjab government.
Reports have suggested that all parties in the alliance, except the PPP, are in favour of resignations and long march option. The PPP is confident that the no-confidence motion would be successful in Punjab and in the National Assembly.
The PDM had set a deadline of January 31 for the government to resign. The alliance had also asked the parties to collect resignations of their respective lawmakers by December 31 and had warned of a long march to oust the PTI government.
The PDM summit is expected to finalize the date for the long march and resignations but other details of would be made after the Senate elections. It also learnt that PML-N Supreme Leader Nawaz Sharif telephoned Fazl to discuss the prevailing political situation.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Nawaz Sharif have reportedly spoken over the phone and had consultations over the anti-government movement. Nawaz has to have agreed with the proposals put forward by Maulna Fazl and assured of full support on the decision.
Earlier JUI-F’s Central Working Committee held a meeting which lasted for six hours. After the meeting, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz reached Fazl’s house with PML-N veteran leader Rana Sanaullah and party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb.
The discussion of the politicians reportedly centred around PDM’s joint strategy on the Senate elections and PPP’s no-confidence motion – both to be debated today. The PDM is expected to make decisions over its long march plans, strategy on the Senate elections and PPP’s role in the alliance.
