Move to revive PDM before thorny joint session of Parliament
A PDM meeting is already under way
FILE
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is holding a meeting to map out a strategy against the government’s plans to push controversial legislation through a joint session of the Parliament scheduled for November 10.
The virtual meeting is already under way. On the other hand, the federal cabinet will convene on Tuesday (a day before the joint session) to discuss a counter-strategy.
The PDM meeting is attented by leaders of the opposition parties Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Awais Noorani, Akhtar Mengal, Aftab Sherpao, Jehanzeb Jamaldini, Tahir Bizenjo and others, who participated via video link. Fazlur Rehman presided over the meeting. He is in his hometown of Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
PDM called the meeting to chart out a strategy for the November 10 joint session of the Parliament. The government plans to get at least 10 bills passed at the joint meeting of the Senate and the National Assembly. Some of the bills are controversial, especially the ones granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis and permitting the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the next general elections.
Since the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf lacks majority support in the upper house, the Senate, a joint session is the only way for it to legislate without seeking opposition support. However, the opposition intends to oppose the move. The joint session is likely to be marred by protests from the opposition benches.
Attempts to revive PDM
PDM was formed in September 2020 with the Pakistan Poeples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), and Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam Fazl (JUIF) as the most important parties of the opposition alliance. Soon after it was formed, the alliance held protests in several cities, forcing the government to look defensive. However, in April 2021, the PPP and the ANP broke away from the PDM after they were served show-cause notices.
Reports suggest there are renewed attempts to revive the PDM to its full strength and to bring back the PPP to its folds. Saturday’s virtual meeting was to consider the proposal, according to the reports.
Recently there were contacts between the PDM leadership and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
PDM Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has also held a meeting with an “important person” near Islamabad on Friday, SAMAA TV‘s Naeem Ashraf Butt reported.
The PDM meeting was called after this meeting, he said.
