PDM to challenge NAB Ordinance, Elections Bill in SC

ISLAMABAD: The heads of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) parties have decided to challenge the controversial legislations of the State Bank Bill and Elections (Amendment) Bill and National Accountability Bureau (Amend) ordinances, in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

The virtual meeting of PDM heads, which lasted for over three hours, was chaired by Movement’s President Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday. It was also attended by Muhammad Nawaz Sharif through video link from London, Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif from Lahore, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Shah Awais Noorani, Sardar Akhtar Khan Mengal, Aftab Ahmad Khan and others.

It assigned the responsibility of finalising proposals and recommendations for challenging the controversial bills in the apex court to JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza, PML-N Deputy Secretary General Attaullah Tarar and former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The panel would finalise petitions to challenge the National Accountability Bureau (Amendment) ordinances, Elections (Amendment) Bill relating to use of Electronic Voting Machines in next elections and the State Bank Bill.

The meeting also directed the PDM steering committee to finalize recommendations about the long march against the government and present them in the next meeting of PDM heads to be held on November 23.

According to a statement, the PDM heads also expressed concern over alleged pressure being exerted by state institutions on government’s allied parties to support controversial legislation in joint sitting of the parliament. “This meeting does not accept this interference and considers it as the violation of the Constitution,” it said. The meeting asked the state institutions to act while remaining within the Constitutional ambit and do not test the patience of people.

The PDM meeting also expressed concerns over unprecedented price hike of essential commodities like sugar and flour and increase in prices of petroleum products. “This situation is not only intolerable but also high condemnable,” the statement said. The meeting also took notice of gas shortage with the advent of severe winter. “There is a shortage of gas in the country despite increase in tariffs,” the statement said. It was also decided that the PDM public meetings in Peshawar and Quetta would be held as per schedule.