ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has rejected the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in elections, and decided to launch a fresh phase of protests to send the government packing.
The alliance decided that on July 4, a massive anti-government protest will be held in Swat, followed by another one in Karachi on July 29, said PDM Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman while addressing a press conference flanked by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on Saturday.
Fazl further said that on the occasion of Independence Day, a massive protest will be held in Islamabad, with PDM showing solidarity to Kashmiris and Palestinians.
He said the PDM constituent parties with consensus have rejected the government’s suggestion of holding next elections through electronic voting machines (EVMs). “ECP [Election Commission of Pakistan] which is the poll supervisory body should summon a meeting of all political parties and formulate a joint plan on election reforms,” he added.
The meeting termed EVMs a plot of pre-poll rigging, said the PDM chief, adding that the opposition alliance has also rejected the presidential ordinance issued in this connection.
Fazl demanded the government on behalf of PDM parties to summon a joint session of parliament, in which authorities concerned would brief the lawmakers of the country about the developments in Afghanistan and rumours that Pakistan is allowing the US to use its military bases.
RETURN OF PPP, ANP WAS NOT A TOPIC:
During the PDM meeting before the press conference, the top leaders of the alliance failed to agree on the return of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) to the alliance, deciding to empower Fazl for making a final decision in this regard.
Shehbaz, Maryam, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Aftab Sherpao, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Mir Kabir Shahi and Tahir Bazbjo also attended the PDM meeting.
Abbasi briefed the meeting about the issues hindering the return of PPP and ANP to the alliance and the contacts made with both the parties.
Abbasi, while briefing about the show cause notices issued to PPP and ANP, said that both the parties mocked the PDM and Fazl instead of responding to the notices. Fazl asked both the parties to reconsider their decisions, but they have not responded yet, he added.
During the meeting, detailed consultations were held regarding the return of the PPP and ANP. However, the sources said that no decision could be made in the meeting and all the participants agreed to empower Fazl for taking a final decision after consultation with the leadership of PPP and ANP.
The sources said that the PML-N suggested not to include PPP and ANP in the PDM until both the parties apologise for their rude behaviour. However, Shehbaz was of the view that since PPP and ANP are opposition parties, they should be included in the united opposition group in the Parliament.
It was decided in the meeting that all the opposition parties in the Senate and the National Assembly would play a joint political role and oppose the upcoming budget in the parliament.
Talking to media, Fazl skipped the questions regarding the return of the PPP and ANP to the alliance.
The PDM chief, meanwhile, made it clear that the return of the PPP and ANP to the opposition alliance was not a topic in the meeting, and said that it would take time to discuss this matter.
“We did not consider the return of PPP and ANP to the opposition alliance in today’s meeting,” he said in response to the questions.
A journalist asked, “Are the PPP and ANP part of the PDM?”
On this, Fazl clarified that both the parties are not a part of the PDM and that is the reason the meeting did not consider them. But still they have time, if they want to return,” he added.
