ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The PPP in its Central Executive Committee (CEC) will take a final decision about the polls for Senate 52-seats and by-elections of eight seats of National and provincial assemblies in its today’s (Tuesday) meeting in Karachi as it will have an impact on PPP’s future relationship with the united opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
The PDM summit of next Friday (January 1) at Jati Umrah Lahore will prove to be make or break for the united opposition alliance as it would take up highly sensitive issues vital for the survival of the movement.
The council’s meeting will be chaired by PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Interestingly steering committee of the PDM that had its meeting at Chak Shehzad Islamabad last week, discussed future course of action of the alliance and its deliberations took place in smooth manner including the Garrhi Khuda Bux public meeting of Sunday on the death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto.
The PDM leadership has expressed satisfaction about the conduct and outcome of the Garrhi Khuda Bux public meeting and discussions, its leaders had in informal on the brinks of activities in Larkana.
Well placed PDM sources told The News here Monday that all eyes are focused on this week’s two meetings, which will determine future course of movement against the government. The sources pointed out that Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and JUI of Maulana Fazl are on one-page with regard to Senate polls and by-elections. They too have to take a final decision before January 1 meeting so that they should put up their united position in the summit. Majority of other component parties of the PDM, stands by the PML-N position, while Maulana Fazl has yet to discuss PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif on the subject. The sources said that it is likely Nawaz Sharif will have consultations with the PPP supreme leader Asif Ali Zardari to save the PDM from any harm that could possibly inflict if the component parties take divergent views publicly on important issues like Senate polls and by-elections.
It is likely that the Friday meeting of the PDM without stepping back on any question would re-emphasize its resolve to oust the government and long march would be the major decision supposed to be maintained and announced after the PDM heads meeting. Without calling off resignations option, the PDM will spell out its strategy to deal with the upcoming developments extensively in the Friday meeting.
The PPP sources said that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari hasn’t made up mind for attending the Lahore summit as he will decide about it on Thursday after viewing his engagements of the day.
All other party heads have given their nod to show up in Jati Umrah Lahore’s PDM meeting, the sources said. The sources reminded that the government is trying hard to create wedge between the PDM members and for the purpose it has already unleashed a plan.
The PDM leadership will also discuss the campaign of the government. The government’s hopes and joy about possible differences in the ranks of the PDM could be short-lived if unity and harmony is intact in the alliance in Friday meeting.
The NAB activities and especially its smear campaign against Maulana Fazlur Rehman will also come up for discussion in the summit, the sources added. Meanwhile, Pakistan People’s Party Central Executive Committee is very much likely to defer its decisions of resigning from the assemblies. Although, in a recent meeting of PDM leadership, former president Asif Ali Zardari has also tried to convince the PML-N leadership to avoid giving any 'walk over' to the PTI government as resignations could ultimately benefit Imran Khan government and pave its way for making Amendment in the 18th Amendment, in case it gets majority in the by elections. Maulana Fazal ur Rehman
There was a majority within the PPP who did not want to leave the parliamentary field open for the government and viewed that the party should contest the Senate elections to get maximum seats in the Upper House to foil the PTI government’s desire of getting absolute majority in the Senate through elections. upcoming polls to take its strength to 19 senators. Currently, the PPP have 21 senators and still the second largest party after the PML-N. The PML-N will be main loser as its about 17 senators were retiring after completing their term in the Senate and it will have a chance to get 5 to 6 seats only from Punjab with no chance from any other province and all of its senators will be from Punjab as it lost the representation from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan while from Sindh it did not have a representation.
