PML-N to consider pros and cons of road rallies

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has not yet finalised its proposal pertaining to the next “plan of action” that will be placed before the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership in the upcoming meeting, a senior PML-N leader said on the condition of anonymity.

He added that the PML-N was also not yet clear if they will agree to the proposal of other parties in the alliance regarding road caravans and a possible long march.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the PML-N leader said the main role of the opposition parties was not to dislodge the government and ascend to the throne. “There is a bigger responsibility of keeping the government on the right track.”

The PML-N leader stressed that political parties in the country will also have to move beyond this one dimensional approach. “There should not be an iota of doubt in the fact that they want this government gone at the earliest, but they would not want democratic principles to be slayed in the process.”

He urged opposition parties to build enough pressure on the government, within and outside parliament, so that the government resigns on its own.

Responding to a question, the PML-N leader maintained that even if other political parties that are part of PDM propose the idea of a road caravan, they would ask them the advantages of doing so.

“What would be the point of a road caravan from one city to another, how will they be able to mobilize their workers without telling them and what will they be able to achieve out of it,” he questioned.

The PML-N leader further said his party would consider the arguments placed before them in the meeting, to back these proposals, with an open mind. “If their proposal of road caravan carried weight, they would consider it by all means.”

On the other hand, PML-N Punjab Spokesperson Azma Bukhari said internal deliberations were going on and the party has yet not finalised its proposals.

Earlier, speaking to The Express Tribune, a JUI-F leader said he had indicated that the possible next move for the PDM would be to complete station-wise rallies and to organize road caravans in the first phase.

He had also indicated that the PDM leaders would also green-light preparatory work for the long march.