ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will take stock of the country’s problems today (Monday) in a virtual meeting and finalise its strategy for the days to come. 

This was told by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader Hafiz Hamdullah, who said that PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman had summoned a virtual session of the party to discuss important issues such as the electronic voting machines, electoral reforms, the NAB ordinance and granting the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Aftab Sherpao, Dr Abdul Malik, Professor Sajid Mir and Shah Owais Noorani will participate in the virtual meeting. 

PDM spokesperson Hafiz Hamdullah said leaders of the Opposition alliance will consult each other on anti-government protests and finalise the PDM’s strategy regarding it. 

Hamdullah said the meeting will start at 3pm. 

‘We will win this war’

On Saturday, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the PDM will “win this war” against the government, as he addressed a protest against inflation in Karachi.

“We will win this war, and Pakistan will have a government that is truly representative of the people, which will understand the problems faced by the masses. The ones who [were imposed] are not aware of the public’s issues,” Fazl had said.

The PDM has started its anti-government protests, with the first of the new wave of protests taking place in Karachi. The next will be held in Quetta on November 17 and in Peshawar on November 20.

“This journey, which has started from Karachi, will continue […] and we will march to Lahore, and from there, we will go to Islamabad,” Fazl had said.

Last week, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met Fazl at the latter’s Islamabad residence as both sides moved to shun the differences. The PDM and the PPP had parted ways in April this year after show-cause notices were issued to the PPP by the anti-government alliance. 

The PDM had asked PPP leaders to explain why it sought votes from the government’s ally party, the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) for the leader of the Opposition in the Senate post. 

Information minister plays down PDM protests as ‘winter activity’

Last week, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had played down the PDM protests, telling them to wait for a year or two and then, the Opposition will have to wait for another five years. 

“You cannot achieve everything that you want through conspiracies […] I would first suggest the Opposition stands on its feet and stop hatching conspiracies,” he had said.

The information minister had said the government’s position was “stable” and in the next two to three months the mounting inflation would also come down — and the country will move toward the election in 2023.

Chaudhry had said the PDM “group” comes out on the streets every year, as protests against the government were its usual “winter activity”.