PDM’s narrative has lost public interest: FM

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Saturday narrative of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has lost public interest and yesterday's meeting ended without any result.

Reacting to PDM's news conference in a statement on Saturday, he said the incumbent government has public mandate and it will not resign under the opposition's pressure.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan has the confidence of Parliament," he underscored.

The foreign minister said state institutions have always fulfilled their constitutional and legal responsibilities.

On Friday, PDM appeared to be conceding to the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) suggestion, as it decided to participate in the upcoming by-elections, but put off a decision about contesting the Senate elections.

The 11-party alliance in a meeting of the party heads at Jati Umra, in Lahore, also decided to hold protests at the offices of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) later this month.

Speaking at a news conference after a meeting of the top opposition leaders in Raiwind, PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman reiterated the alliance’s January 31 deadline for the government’s resignation, after which, he said, the opposition would unveil plans for a long march and resignations from the assemblies.