ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of the 11 opposition parties, on Saturday named Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief, as its first president. The name of Maulana Fazlur Rehman was proposed by the PML-N supremo, Nawaz Sharif, and endorsed by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari at a meeting of the PDM steering committee held via a video link.
On the suggestion of Bilawal, it was decided that the leadership of the PDM would be held on a rotation basis, giving opportunity to all the parties in the alliance to lead it.
PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Dr Abdul Malik of the National Party, BNP-Mengal chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao of the Qaumi Wattan Party, Amir Haider Hoti of the Awami National Party (ANP), Professor Sajid Mir of the Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadees, Awais Noorani of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan, PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, and Marriyum Aurangzeb, PPP’s Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf and Sherry Rehman, and Mohsin Dawar of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) attended the meeting.
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai could not attend the meeting due to unspecified reasons.
According to Ahsan Iqbal, the term of the PDM’s president would be decided and appointment of other central and provincial office-bearers of the alliance made at the steering committee’s next meeting on October 5.
The PDM has already announced its first show of power in Quetta on October 11.
Ahsan said that the Maulana was appointed unanimously, and all the parties expressed their “full confidence” in his leadership and vision.
He said that it was also decided that all the opposition parties would pursue the anti-government movement from the platform of the PDM.
He said that the meeting also adopted two resolutions unanimously, reiterating its resolve for the PDM’s democratic struggle for the supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law, and protection of economic rights of the people of Pakistan.
He said that the meeting strongly condemned linking of the PDM with India, adding that the government's statement linking PDM to India was a proof of its “frustration”.
It also condemned the labeling of Nawaz Sharif, a three-time prime minister, as anti-State.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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