ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has issued show cause notices to two component parties — Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) — reports citing sources said Monday.
A show-cause letter typically requires the recipient to explain why they should not be subject to disciplinary action. However, it was not immediately clear on what grounds the notices were served.
It was reported last week, the notices will be served on the two parties for not attending the nine-party alliance’s meeting on April 2 and violating its decision.
The issuance of show-cause notices to both parties was approved by Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who also heads the anti-government coalition. They were dispatched by PDM Secretary General Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.
Addressing reporters outside Parliament House on Monday, Abbasi said the notices to both parties have been issued. The notice issued to PPP will be delivered to its Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari whereas ANP’s notice will be issued to party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan.
“The notices have been sent on WhatsApp. Hard copies will be handed over during today’s Senate session,” the former prime minister said, adding that both the parties have been given seven days to respond to the notices.
“Whatever answer is received will be presented during a meeting of the opposition alliance’s constituent parties,” he said and added: “The PDM will decide the future course of action.”
Abbasi also said that it was written on the notice that the opposition alliance will not make it public. However, both the parties can make them public if they wish to do so, he said.
PPP has been asked to explain within a week, its conduct of getting appointed its candidate, Yousaf Raza Gillani, as opposition leader in Senate, by defying the consensus decision of component parties.
On the other hand, ANP is accused of supporting the PPP in its efforts to get Gillani elected by roping in senators from Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), a coalition partner in Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government, to constitute support.
Differences cropped between the PPP and the PDM over the issue of resignations from the assemblies and also on the election of Sherry Rehman or Gillani as leader of the opposition in the Senate.
However, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Fazl asked Bilawal to stick to the original agreement agreed upon in the PDM meeting according to which the alliance had to support Gilani for the slot of Senate chairman while the PML-N would get the office of leader of the opposition.
The rift between the PML-N and the PPP deepened on Friday when five opposition parties, including the former, agreed to form a separate bloc of 27 opposition senators in the Senate.
On Sunday, Bilawal made it clear to other opposition parties that his party is ready to go solo in its democratic fight to topple the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
“PPP is ready to do opposition either alone or with other opposition parties but one thing is clear that we will not let this selected government function,” he said while addressing a rally held to observe the 42nd death anniversary of the party founder and former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in Larkana.
FIVE OPPOSITION PARTIES DEMAND SEPARATE BENCHES:
Five opposition parties in the Senate, which had earlier decided to constitute an independent group in the house consisting of 27 members, have demanded the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani that they be allotted separate opposition benches in the house.
Taking the floor, PML-N Senator Azam Nazir Tarar stated that 27 senators represented an independent opposition, and so they should be allotted separated seats. According to Tarar, the opposition members will continue their “constructive politics from separate benches”.
These parties are PML-N, JUI-F, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), National Party (NP) and Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M). The group is being led by the PML-N designated opposition leader Senator Tarar.
“We should be allotted separate opposition benches and the hidden cameras [in the Senate elections] should be investigated,” Senator Tarar said.
Senators supporting Gillani protested Tarrar’s remarks. Government members, too, protested when senators from the BAP were presented with gifts and a commotion broke out in the House.
On the other hand, the Dilawar Khan group, which supports Gillani, also demanded separate seats in the Senate.
The House met today after the election of new senators on March 3, the Senate chairman and deputy chairman on March 12 and notification of Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Gillani on March 26.
