Daily Times

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been appointed the head of the 11-party Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) launched by opposition parties last month to oust the incumbent government for its ‘failures in all sectors’.

The decision was made in a virtual meeting of the alliance’s steering committee held on Saturday and announced by PML-N Secretary-General Ahsan Iqbal, a private TV channel reported. “Nawaz Sharif recommended Fazlur Rehman’s name and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari endorsed it,” he said, adding that the leader will change on a rotation basis and the duration of appointment will be determined soon.

“PDM has expressed great confidence in the leadership of Fazlur Rehman,” said the PML-N stalwart. “PDM’s struggle is to ensure that the constitution and the supremacy of law are upheld and the people’s economic rights are protected,” he said. The movement’s goal is to achieve that form of government that was the vision of Quaid-e-Azam, he added.

Iqbal said that unanimous approval was accorded to a number of resolutions.

Among these were the following: The government linking the PDM to India is proof of its delusions; to declare a three time prime minister, under whose leadership Pakistan successfully conducted nuclear tests, an enemy of the state is condemnable; strongly condemn Shehbaz Sharif’s arrest; arrest of opposition politicians is a “conspiracy to steal” the Gilgit-Baltistan mandate; PDM’s constitutional and democratic struggle will not be stopped; people want freedom from the “fake government” who has brought them nothing but inflation, unemployment, and economic destruction

The meeting was attended by Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Ahsan Iqbal, Nawab Akhtar Mengal, Shah Owais Noorani, Ameer Haider Khan Houthi and other notable opposition figures. The PDM’s organisational hierarchy was also discussed.

Meanwhile, PML-N on Saturday held its power show in Lahore to protest against the arrest of its president and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif. Although it was the solo show of PML-N, the parliamentarians of opposition say that it was also an informal launch of the PDM. The workers, MPAs, MNAs, former mayors and deputy mayors hailing from the PML-N gathered at Lahore’s famous Temple Road just adjacent to the Mall Road to hold protest demonstration against the government. It was very tactical move by the PML-N to hold its rally at Temple Road as the area has been a stronghold of the party since decades and it has massive vote bank there.

The workers of PML-N were carrying the party flags and placards inscribed with the slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan and the government. Ishfaq, a party worker who came from Green Town area of NA-133 constituency, told this scribe that the poverty, unemployment and inflation have forced the people to come on the roads against the government. “There was no load shedding of electricity when the PML-N left the government but now we are facing again this problem. Our country was on the right track just three years ago but everything is changed now,” he said. He further added that it is true that Shehbaz Sharif is our President but the real crowd puller is Maryam Nawaz and the government will definitely be ousted when she will lead the workers on the roads.

Almost all the MPAs and MNAs from Lahore and adjacent districts of Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahab and Kasur were present in the rally with their workers. Prominent among them were Kh Saad Rafique, Rana Sanaullah, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Azma Bukhari, Samiullah Khan, Malik Riaz, Rana Mashhood, Attaullah Tarar, Mian Mujtaba, Bilal Yasin and Malik Ahmed Khan.

“When Lahore awakes, then whole Pakistan is awaked. And when Pakistan awakes, then no dictator or selected remain here anymore,” said PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah Khan. He further added that Shehbaz Sharif has served Punjab for 10 years with honesty but now he is in jail just because of vindictive approach of the rulers. He was of the view that this government has rendered millions of people unemployed instead of creating jobs that Imran Khan had promised. “The rulers have completely destroyed the economy. Both the factory owners and workers are suffering due to the policies of the government,” said Rana Sanaullah. He was of the view that the ‘jalsa’ of PDM scheduled in Lahore will be hosted by the PML-N and Imran Khan will leave the PM House that day because of the power of people as this meeting will be huge.