Nawaz assures full support to Fazl for future PDM’s decisions

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has assured Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman that whatever protest plan is prepared by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), his party would wholeheartedly become part of it to pave the way for fresh general elections in the country, sources told The News here on Wednesday.

Sources said the message of Nawaz Sharif has been conveyed to Maulana Fazlur Rehman through a senior member of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, who attended the last meeting of the PDM held at the residence of the JUI-F chief.

They said informal communication between PML-N and JUI-F was also under way on regular basis and both the parties have almost developed a consensus that there should be a large scale mass movement against this government after Eid-ul-Fitr. “The JUI-F chief has also conveyed to the PML-N leadership that he is informally making contacts with eight component parties of PDM to develop a consensus for mass movement before holding a formal meeting of the heads of component parties of PDM,” sources said.

Sources said Maulana Fazlur Rehman is likely to develop a consensus among the opposition parties and announcement of protest movement would be made in the next PDM meeting.

They claimed that the protest movement of PDM would mainly revolve around a long march and resignations from the assemblies, adding “PML-N, JUI-F and other component parties have made their mind to go ahead with their protest plan without the Pakistan People’s Party and Awami National Party that are not likely to rejoin the PDM.”

“Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz support large scale protest movement because both of them think that the PML-N is currently the most popular party, especially in Punjab, and can make a clean sweep in the largest province in fresh general elections,” sources said.

Sources in PML-N confided to this correspondent that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif maintains that the PPP got votes from Balochistan Awami Party for the post of opposition leader in the Senate that cannot be tolerated at any cost. “PML-N is of the view that if PPP and ANP never regret their decision of getting support from BAP, then both of them should not have any place in the PDM. It thinks that their struggle is for civilian supremacy and if PPP and ANP join hands with those political groups that are believed to be backed by the establishment, then they should choose their own political path for future politics,” sources said.

A PML-N member alleged that the PPP thinks it is an alternative to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the Centre and ANP also considers it in the same position in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa due to which they are looking towards powerful quarters for a ‘bright’ political future.

He said it was quite unfortunate that instead of giving reply to some questions raised by the PDM, the PPP disseminated the news that PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari tore apart the show cause notice in the party meeting.

When contacted, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told The News that the PDM would certainly make a protest plan in coordination with all component parties and it would achieve its goals with the help of the people.

To a question, he confirmed that the PML-N and JUI-F make regular contacts on political issues and they also want to develop a consensus on some vital issues before the next PDM meeting.