Fazl contacts Nawaz after speaking to Zardari

ISLAMABAD: Maulana Fazlur Rehman, President of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), on Thursday established telephonic contact with Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif as the three leaders agreed to keep the movement intact and continuing contacts in future also.

Fazlur Rehman, who was upset over refusal of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to resign from assemblies at PDM meeting, first contacted Asif Ali Zardari and then talked to the PML-N supremo. “I apprised Nawaz Sharif of details of my telephonic conversation with Asif Zardari,” the Maulana said.

According to sources, Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman were of the view that exclusion of a single party could not affect the policies of PDM that had been making efforts to restore “real democracy” in the country.

The sources said that Asif Zardari and Fazlur Rehman earlier reached a consensus on taking each other into confidence on important decisions and keeping the PDM intact. Zardari apprised the Maulana about Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting of the PPP to be held on April 04 to discuss option of resignations from assemblies as decided by nine PDM parties. “We will apprise the PDM of decision to be taken by the CEC,” Zardari told Fazlur Rehman.

The Maulana expressed hope that PPP leadership would decide in better interests of democracy. The two sides also discussed issues relating to elections of the Senate chairman and nomination for the slot of the opposition leader in the Senate.

The sources said that Fazlur Rehman requested the ex-president that PPP should refrain from making public difference of opinion on different issues. They also agreed on challenging the Senate chairman elections at the earliest.

The Maulana and Nawaz Sharif discussed issues relating to long march, resignations from assemblies and elections of the Senate chairman and nomination for the slot of the opposition leader in the Senate.

Fazlur Rehman expressed hope that the PPP leadership being a democratic party would take its decision accordingly, and said now it seems that future planning for the anti-government movement had been delayed till after Ramazan. He said the anti-government movement was very much alive, adding that the PDM would continue facing such circumstances.

“God willing, we will continue to move forward amicably,” he said. Geo News quoting sources reported that Nawaz and Fazl decided that if the PPP does not agree to resign from the Parliament then the other nine political parties that are part of the PDM will announce their plan of action. According to sources, both Fazl and Nawaz decided to summon an important meeting of the PDM after PPP makes its decision.

The two leaders also discussed a "Jail Bharo Tehreek" option — a form of protest in which people get themselves voluntarily arrested in large numbers to fill prisons.

Sources said Nawaz Sharif and Fazlur Rehman agreed that they would not go back from their commitment and hold long march and tender resignations in coordination with other opposition parties.

The sources claimed that Fazlur Rehman also raised the issue of return of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan on which the former prime minister stated he wanted to come back as soon as possible after going through surgeries advised by his doctors.