Daily Times

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) supremo and Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) head Maulana Fazlur Rehman has contacted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and asked him to return to Pakistan, a private TV channel reported on Wednesday.

The two leaders reportedly discussed the proceedings and decisions of the opposition parties’ huddle held a day earlier over the long march previously scheduled for March 26. They also mulled over the alliance’s future strategy against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

The PDM appeared to be in tatters on Tuesday owing to a serious divide on the issue of lawmakers’ resignations from assemblies, that forced it to postpone the long march against the government.

Separately, addressing a gathering in Peshawar, Fazlur Rehman clarified that disagreements regularly take place within the PDM but the alliance still stands united. He said that during Tuesday’s meeting, nine parties of the PDM were in favour of submitting resignations from the parliament. “If resignations are to be submitted, half of the parliament would be empty. That would call for re-election,” he said.

Fazl said the PDM suggested the option of resigning from the parliament during March 16 meeting and nine out of 10 parties agreed, except for the PPP. “Resignations were never meant to be the last option or the atom bomb,” he said. “We have given the PPP time to deliberate upon its decision and consult the chief election commissioner (CEC) regarding the matter.

He also said that revealing the internal matters of the PDM which were discussed during the meeting is a “dishonest and treacherous” practice. He said that the “attitude of the PPP during the PDM meeting was undemocratic.”

Fazlur Rehman had abruptly left the press conference after announcing the decision to delay the long march. As Fazl left the press conference, PML-N’s vice-president Maryam Nawaz called out to him, requesting him to take some questions, but he did not listen.

“I did not want to come to the press conference,” Fazlur Rahman said later, adding that other PDM members had insisted that he address the press briefing. “I made the announcement and left. What else could I have said?” he questioned.

The PDM had earlier planned a long march to oust the PTI-led government on March 26. But since the PPP has shown hesitation regarding the submission of resignations to the parliament and has asked for time, the march has been postponed.