The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) decided on Monday to hold an anti-inflation march in Islamabad on March 23 to protest against the government's failure to control inflation.
Addressing a press conference after the PDM's meeting, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the alliance's chief said:
"People from across the country will gather in Islamabad. A huge protest will be held in the [capital] against inflation."
"As a result of the 2018 elections, a government was formed without the mandate of the people."
PDM announces 'decisive' anti-govt movement
"A government which came into existence through rigging [...] is facing failure, but the people are bearing the brunt of it in the form of inflation, poverty, unemployment, and restlessness," he said.
All the participants of the meeting condemned the Sialkot incident, saying that no one should take the law into their own hands.
On Sunday, the Steering Committee of the PDM recommended quitting Parliament and launching a long march across the country.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazal (JUI-F) is strongly pressing that PDM parties resign en masse from the Parliament and then go for a long march, it is learnt.
On the other hand, PML-N is not in favour of collective resignations and is of the opinion that the PDM should first launch the long march to test its political strength before considering other options, an opposition leader told Business Recorder, on the condition of anonymity.
In addition, there are also differences between JUI-F and PML-N regarding modalities of the proposed long march, according to sources.
The JUI-F wants the long march directly from Lahore to Islamabad, whereas N-League, especially the group led by its President Shehbaz Sharif, supports launching a long march in the provinces first before deciding in favour of a ‘decisive’ long march, sources said.
Speaking to Business Recorder, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah denied that there were any differences in JUI-F and PML-N.
“The rumours of differences are nothing but the figment of the imagination of Imran Khan’s cronies who are unnerved by the growing strength of the opposition,” he said.
PDM’s body suggests anti-govt steps: ‘resignations’ and ‘long march’
“The unprecedented inflation has made this government extremely unpopular. Sensing the public outrage, the rulers have lost their senses,” he added.
The PML-N leader said the issue of en masse resignations and long march would be taken up in the PDM’s Monday meeting. “The PML-N believes that opposition forces should follow the policy of consultation with one another instead of confrontation. Any decision, taken from the forum of PDM, shall be acceptable to us — whether it is en masse resignations or long march,” he added. The PML-N would direct all its party tiers to implement in letter and spirit the decisions taken by PDM, he added.
Last month, the opposition alliance had announced a "decisive movement" against the government's 'anti-people policies by holding several rallies in the provincial capitals followed by a long march on Islamabad.