PDM to challenge controversial laws in SC

Opposition alliance allows steering committee to set date for long march against govt

LAHORE:

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) decided on Monday to challenge controversial laws in the Supreme Court and formed a steering committee to consult legal experts in this regard besides setting a date for a long march against the government.

During a virtual summit meeting of the alliance, chaired by its president Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who is also chief of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), discussion was held on the overall situation in the country, issues related to the draft laws by the government, and a future strategy of the PDM.

Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif joined the meeting via video link from London, while the party president and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, participated from Lahore.

The meeting was also attended by Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mehmood Achakzai, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) chief Aftab Sherpao, Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) General Secretary Awais Noorani and others.

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The PDM leaders discussed in detail the overall situation of the country and held consultations on the future strategy of the opposition alliance. The leaders also deliberated on the National Accountability Ordinance Amendment Bill, electronic voting machine (EVMs) and bills related to electoral reforms.

The meeting decided to convene the meeting of its steering committee on November 22, 2021 in which recommendations and suggestions would be firmed up for challenging the laws proposed by the government in the Supreme Court.

The panel was given the responsibility to consult lawyers and complete the procedure for challenging the NAB Amendment Ordinance, the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), and the transfer of power from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and former JUI-F senator Kamran Murtaza and PML-N Deputy Secretary General Ataullah Tarar and former prime minister and PDM Secretary General Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had been included in the panel.

The steering committee had also been directed to propose the date for a decisive long march against the present government and present it in the next PDM summit. The alliance decided that the next PDM summit would be held on November 23 to give final approval to the proposals of the committee.

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The participants of the meeting expressed their concern that state institutions were forcing the ruling coalition parties to assist the government in enacting legislation. They urged the state institutions to remain within their constitutional limits.

The meeting approved the plans for the PDM’s protest rallies in Quetta and Peshawar. The alliance leaders were asked to move ahead with the preparations for these rallies as per schedule “with full vigour, unity and solidarity”.

The meeting condemned the soaring inflation and the price hike. The leaders said that the prices of essential commodities such as flour, sugar, ghee had not only gone out of the reach of the people but were also in shortage supply. The prime minister was responsible for this injustice, they added.

The meeting rejected the sharp rise in electricity, gas and petrol prices, saying that despite the most expensive gas in history, a severe crisis was looming over the country. Even before the onset of winter, the people were suffering from this new predicament.