Bubble-Burst: PDM Convinced by PPP to Contest By-Elections

After scores of public meetings and rallies against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and to overthrow Imran Khan, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has finally convinced its allies in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to participate in the by-elections.

The prolonged meeting of the PDM heads concluded with the decision that all parties in the PDM will participate in the by-elections allegedly on the recommendation of PPP. The decision to take part in the Senate election is still under consideration.

However, the announcement is a bubble-burst for PDM whose leaders had been against any participation in the democratic process until Prime Minister Imran Khan would step down.

But, it seems like the PPP has convinced its allies in the PDM and they would likely participate in the election of the upper house.

Addressing media after the meeting, PDM Head Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman once again announced that the opposition alliance still upheld its deadline of January 31 after which it would announce the date of the long march against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He added that it was yet to be decided whether the long march would be towards Rawalpindi or Islamabad.

Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman lashed out at the role of the establishment in the elections and did not refrain from calling Prime Minister Imran Khan a ‘puppet’ once again.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz said that the option of contesting by-elections with a joint candidate could not be ruled out.

PDM would still contest in the by-election to be conducted by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) whilst staging protests against it.

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The political observers believe that participation in the by-elections would enfeeble PDM’s stance and make the movement porous.

Along with it, it is being speculated that PDM was not left with many options after PPP allegedly linked en masse resignations with the return of PML-N Head Nawaz Sharif.