PDM asks govt to quit by January 31

Lahore: The opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday demanded the PTI-led government quit by January 31 or face an intensified opposition movement, including a long march to the capital.

The demand was made by PDM president Maulana Fazlur Rehman while speaking to the media in Lahore alongside PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and other opposition leaders.

As part of the anti-government movement, Rehman said lawmakers from PDM member parties in the national and provincial assemblies will hand in their resignations to their party leaders by December 31.

“Today, we want to make clear to the government that it should resign by January 31,” the JUI-F leader said.

He said that if the government refuses to quit by that time, a meeting of the PDM’s leadership on February 1 will announce a long march towards Islamabad, the date of which will also be decided during the meeting.

“All party workers in PDM and the people of Pakistan are appealed to start preparations for the long march from today,” Rehman added.

He said that following Sunday’s “historic” PDM public gathering at the Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore, PDM leaders had today signed a detailed communique in continuation of the opposition’s objectives.

He said the schedules issued by the PDM’s steering committee to provinces for preparations of the planned long march will remain in effect, adding that the heads and representatives of the PDM’s constituent parties will form committees in their respective provinces and will work on preparations for the long march.

“During today’s meeting, anger was also expressed at the way the military’s media affairs wing put pressure on electronic media for negative propaganda against the rally.” We have to make this conspiracy a failure, he said, adding that the Lahore rally will be remembered in history.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said all parties under the PDM were one and will make decision together from the alliance’s platform.

“As far as dialogue is concerned, then the PDM’s stance was presented yesterday in front of the people of Lahore. The time for dialogue is over. Now is the time to March and for PM Imran Khan’s resignation.”