The opposition alliance, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), is still at loggerheads on the issue of resignations from assemblies. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) strongly opposes the idea but the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) strongly believe the move will dislodge the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf-led (PTI) government.
A “crucial” meeting of the alliance in Islamabad today will finalise its strategy on the March 26 long march and consider pros and cons of resignations from assemblies. Interestingly, the PDM leadership believes that it has “shaken” the government by defeating it in Senate and recent by-election. However, the leaderships seems to have turned a blind eye from the fact that the government candidates have been elected chairman and deputy chairman of the Senate.
Insiders say the PPP who has been defying the call of resignations since December, will again try to convince partners to go for an in-house change and use the resignation as a “last resort”. It may be recalled that a no-confidence motion cannot be moved until September as Prime Minister has got a confidence vote from the house earlier this month.
On Monday, Maryam Nawaz said after attending the PML-N meeting that the PDM meeting would make it clear where the Opposition parties stood on the resignations.
She said the PML-N would try to persuade those who do not agree to resign from assemblies.
JUI-F and PDM chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, however, vehemently favoured resignations claiming that the move would make the long march successful.
But, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was still adamant that the PDM should focus on the card of no-confidence motion and options within parliament.
It seems that the meeting would finalise the strategy of long march but the matter of resignations would remain unresolved.
