PDM likely to revise its strategy about resignations

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is likely to revise its strategy regarding resignations from the assemblies in the next meeting to be held after Eid-ul-Fitr, sources told The News here on Thursday.

“Both former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Jamiat Ulema-Islam Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman have agreed in principle that tendering resignations without PPP would be a futile exercise and it would serve no purpose,” the sources said.

“Previously, the total strength of lawmakers in the national and provincial assemblies of the PDM component parties was 470 out of total 1,070. Now PPP and ANP have apparently parted ways with PDM, so it has lost its vital strength in the assemblies due to which Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Nawaz Sharif, along with other PDM leaders, want to revise their strategy and come up with a pragmatic and result-oriented plan against the Imran-led government,” the sources said.

The sources said both Nawaz Sharif and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, along with leaders of other component parties, have so far developed a consensus that the PPP and Awami National Party (ANP) would not be invited in the next meeting of PDM.

Now the PDM would face an interesting situation in which it would have to revise not only the strategy about resignations but also reevaluate the decision regarding the long march towards Islamabad, the sources said.

The sources also claimed that PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz may not be included in the delegation that would attend the next PDM meeting, adding “Maryam Nawaz holds aggressive stance about resignations.”

“Presence of Maryam Nawaz in the PDM’s meeting may create problems for other participants, who are now believed to have softened their stance about resignations from the assemblies,” the sources said.

The sources in the PDM categorically told this correspondent: “It is not up to the PPP whether it will return to our fold but it is up to us whether we will allow it to do so. We will consider this issue and make a consensus decision keeping in view the behavior of PPP.”

The sources said former prime minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Thursday held a meeting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, along with a party delegation, and gave him a message of former president Asif Ali Zardari.

They said: “Most of the parties in PDM believe that PPP has become a political liability, so they should get rid of it. Now PDM has finally reached a point where it is expected to evolve its future political strategy without PPP and ANP.”

When contacted, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who is the general secretary of PDM, said: “The meeting of PDM was delayed for some time but it would be held after Eid-ul-Fitr to discuss important political issues and evolve a future strategy to accelerate protest movement against the present government.”

To a question, he said: “We will definitely look into the ground realities, review the ongoing situation and take necessary decisions about resignations and long march. “I personally think that if PPP supported the suggestion of tendering resignations, then PDM would have shaken the foundations of the government. But now the situation is somewhat different and we will sit together and evolve our future strategy keeping in view the current political situation,” he said.

Answering another question, he said: “We are very clear in our stance that if PPP admits to its mistakes and takes confidence building measures, then it can return to the PDM. Otherwise, it will be difficult for it to become part of this political alliance.”