Amraiz Khan
Lahore
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of 11 opposition parties, has decided to take part in the upcoming by-polls. However, it deferred the decision of contesting Senate election to a later date.
“We will take part in by-polls and will decide about the Senate elections later… basically we are not against taking part in elections,” PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said while addressing a press conference following an important meeting of the opposition alliance, hosted by the PML-N at the Sharif family estate in Jati Umra, Lahore on Friday night.
Fazl said constituent parties of the PDM informed in the meeting that they have collected resignations from all of their parliamentarians. The decision comes days after the PPP, during its Central Executive Committee meeting earlier this week, decided in favour of fighting the ruling PTI on all fronts, including the National Assembly, provincial assemblies and Senate.
The JUI-F chief, flanked by PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and other PDM leaders, reiterated that Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government had until January 31 to resign or the opposition parties will announce the final date of their long-march on Islamabad to oust the incumbent government.
“The government is left with only month. After January 31, we will announce the final date of the long-march and also decide whether opposition parties would stage protest in Islamabad or Rawalpindi.”
Fazl said it has been decided in the meeting that from today onwards PDM will not only criticise PM Imran but also the establishment, accusing it of installing the “puppet government” into power and turning the country into ‘deep state’.
He alleged that the establishment has held the country hostage and is meddling into its political affairs.
Responding to the question about stepping down from legislative assemblies, Fazl said the final decision in this regard will be taken by the end of this month.
He also announced that PDM will hold protests outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) offices across the country.
“This is not accountability but victimisation of political opponents,” Fazl said while condemning the arrest of opposition leaders by the anti-corruption watchdog.
