ISLAMABAD: An exclusive meeting of the steering committee of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to finalise the preparations for the long march scheduled for March 26 was held on Tuesday, yet failed to make any official announcements for the march.
Sources in the coalition of 11 opposition parties said that the meeting was marred by mismanagement and disputes which is why it could not reach any conclusion. Reportedly, Convener Committee Ahsan Iqbal failed to invite all parties to attend the meeting in time.
Moreover, the meeting had to be shortened due to the absence of its members and the media was not briefed as the number of members was not complete. In the last meeting, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had made it clear to all parties to bear the expenses of their workers themselves.
The meeting, which was held in the federal capital and chaired by PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal, discussed the Senate elections and the strategy of the long march. It also discussed the strategy and expenditure of the opposition for the success of the march.
The sources said that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Raja Pervez Ashraf, Usman Kakar of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Sikandar Sherpao of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and Mian Iftikhar Hussain of Awami National Party (ANP) attended the meeting.
The central leadership of the PDM, in a separate meeting chaired by the coalition president, decided to name the long march as the Inflation March.
On behalf of the PML-N, Vice President Maryam Nawaz, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Ameer Haider Hoti from ANP, Aftab Sherpao of QWP, Mahmood Khan Achakzai of PkMAP and other leaders also attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, an important meeting of the General Council of PML-N has been convened on February 27.
Party leader Nawaz Sharif will participate through video-link. PML-N General Secretary Iqbal has said that the important meeting of the PML-N General Council will be held on February 27 in which party leader Nawaz Sharif and vice president Maryam Nawaz will participate.
The meeting of the General Council will be held at the Secretariat of PML-N’s Chak Shehzad, Islamabad, at 1 pm and will be attended by all the Members of Parliament belonging to the PML-N. Ticket holders have also been directed to attend.
The meeting will discuss the strategy for the Senate elections and the party’s strategy for the Senate elections.
