ISLAMABAD: The opposition parties on Sunday announced that a new alliance named Pakistan Democratic Movement would be formed under which the parties would unite to oust the incumbent government.
Following “All Parties Conference” — the opposition shared the plan of action devised to “rid the country” of the government.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman, addressing a media briefing, said that the opposition demands the “immediate resignation of selected Prime Minister Imran Ahmed Niazi”.
He said that a failure to do so will result in the joint opposition announcing country-wide protests that will include the participation of lawyers, traders, labourers, farmers, civil society, and the people in general.
“In the first phase, beginning October, rallies will be held in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab.
“In the second phase, starting December, huge demonstrations will take place country-wide. In the third phase, to begin in January next year, a long-march will move towards Islamabad,” Fazl said.
“To oust the selected government, the joint opposition will use all tactics, including a vote of no confidence and resignations from the parliament.”
Meanwhile, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif said that the opposition had no option but to arrive at these decisions as the incumbent government was “selected” and could not handle the country’s affairs, including the situation in Kashmir and the coronavirus crisis.
“The country’s future is at stake if the government continues its regime,” he said.
PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the opposition is headed towards its “mission” under the guidance and support of the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and PPP chairman Asif Zardari.
Responding to a question, Bilawal said that if any party goes back on the commitments made today, then the people must hold it accountable.
The PPP chairman said the leader of the movement has not yet been decided.
He said that the movement would struggle not only against the government but also “the ones who brought it into power”.
When asked about the extent of the opposition’s unity going forward, Bilawal said that in every situation the opposition would stand together, and Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman would not be abandoned.
Opposition’s 26-point charter of demands
At the outset of the media briefing, Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman read out the parties’ 26-point charter of demands.
The meeting declared that the “incumbent selected government has been granted artificial stability by the establishment that has imposed it on the people through rigged elections”, said the JUI-F chief.
He said that the forum demands transparent elections in the country and calls for electoral reforms.
“The selected government has ruined the common man’s life with record-high inflation, unemployment, and taxes […] we demand that the prices of flour, sugar, ghee, electricity and gas be immediately brought down.”
Due to the “selected” government’s failed policies, the crumbling economy is posing a serious danger to the country’s atomic power and sovereignty, said Fazl.
