ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced on Monday that the anti-government coalition has unanimously agreed to nominate Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) senior leader Yousaf Raza Gilani as their candidate for the upcoming Senate chairman election.
Speaking at the press conference, Rehman said that the candidates for the posts of Senate deputy chairperson and leader of the opposition would be decided by a committee, headed by former premier and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The committee will hold its first meeting tomorrow to deliberate on possible candidates.
The PDM chief also spoke about the incidents of violence outside Parliament House on Saturday, where PML-N leaders alleged they were manhandled by PTI workers. “PTI goons attacked them,” said Rehman, adding that not only were PML-N leaders insulted and harassed, the “goons even disrespected Marriyum Aurangzeb”.
“This is the culture the PTI is inculcating among its workers,” he lamented.
Rehman said the meeting reaffirmed the PDM plan to stage a long march against the government, adding that caravans will set out for the capital “from all corners of the country on March 26”.
The announcement came hours after the PDM chief convened a meeting of the opposition alliance in Islamabad later today to discuss the future course of action.
Reports citing sources suggest that the meeting, presided over by Fazl, was to decide the future strategy to oust the PTI government.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Aftab Sherpao, Gilani, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Raja Pervez Ashraf were also in attendance.
In addition to reviewing the trust vote which Prime Minister Imran Khan won, the meeting discussed the proposed long march to Islamabad and the election of the Senate chairman planned for March 12.
“We want to win this election as well and add another victory to our credit,” Bilawal said while addressing the meeting and added that PPP is committed to PDM’s roadmap.
The meeting comes a day after reports emerged that Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), an ally of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), expressed its inability to vote for the PDM candidate for Senate chairman Yousaf Raza Gillani. The reports were however dismissed by PML-Q leader Chaudhry Moonis Elahi on Monday.
The party could not go against the PTI, Minister for Housing Tariq Bashir Cheema told PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday.
In the meeting, Bilawal also discussed possible options for replacing the government of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in Punjab and cooperation in the election for Senate chairman.
During the meeting, a special committee set up for the long march presented its recommendations for the grand anti-government demonstration. It said that long march should commence from Karachi on March 26 with a rally and all processions should reach Islamabad by 3 pm on March 30.
