Maulana Fazlur Rehman says PDM has not accepted PPP, ANP’s resignations from the alliance
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman claimed on Thursday that the PPP wants to rejoin the alliance, adding that the doors of the alliance are open for the party.
“PPP and ANP’s resignations from the PDM have not been accepted. PPP wants to return to the alliance, but it is being delayed due to deliberation on the condition put forward by us,” said the PDM chief while talking to the media in Islamabad.
Rehman also assured the PPP and ANP that there were no roadblocks for both parties to return to the alliance. He added that if the PPP accepts their stance then they will be ready to accept Yousuf Raza Gillani as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate.
Read more: PDM postpones April 29 meeting, new session to be held after Eid
The PDM president also claimed that the ANP is also unhappy with the PPP over their decision to seek the votes of Balochistan Awami Party’s senator to elect Gilani in the Senate.
“The ANP leadership had to announce its separation from the alliance due to some pressure,” alleged Fazl without identifying who had pressured the party to leave PDM.
“The doors to the alliance for the PPP are open; [it] just have to issue a clarification that we have demanded,” said Fazl. He assured everyone that the alliance was intact and a meeting will be called after Eid, adding that PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif will lead his party's delegation.
Read more: Fazl urges PPP, ANP to reconsider PDM resignations
The PDM chief stated that to free the country’s economy, there was a need to bring in political stability. He also dismissed talks about bringing in an in-house change in the Parliament.
Answering a question about the Justice Qazi Faez Isa case, Fazl said that President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan had "no moral standing to carry on with their posts."
A day earlier, it was reported that Rehman has started making attempts to bridge the gap between the PPP and the anti-government alliance.
On April 12, the PPP had announced that the party's Central Executive Committee (CEC) had called upon its members to resign from all positions of the PDM.
Similarly, leaders of the ANP had withdrawn from the alliance after show-cause notices were issued to the party to explain their actions during the recently held Senate polls.
Read more: PDM parties to form new bloc in Senate minus PPP, ANP
Sources said Fazl has claimed PPP was ready to reconsider Yousuf Raza Gillani's position as the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate — one of the main reasons that led to a divide in the alliance.
PML-N leaders, who did not openly oppose, had agreed on the return of PPP to the PDM following the intervention of party president Shahbaz Sharif, sources said.
Shahbaz Sharif, according to sources, believes the return of PPP and ANP would strengthen the anti-government alliance.
Meanwhile, Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Akhtar Mengal have agreed on PPP's return, while Owais Noorani and Prof Sajid Mir have expressed their reservations.
Earlier, the PDM had announced it had decided to postpone its April 29 leaders' meeting and would convene the next session after Eid.
PDM's chief Fazl has requested the central leaders of PML-N and PPP to "exercise restraint."
He said the PDM plans to "intensify its anti-government struggle after Ramadan," adding the alliance will return to the field with "better strength than before."
Read more: PPP, ANP blame Maryam Nawaz's ‘dictatorial attitude’ for PDM disintegration
"If a few elements decide to [deviate], it would not make any difference to the alliance," Fazl said.
The PDM had another meeting on April 26, without the participation of PPP and ANP, during which Fazl urged the two estranged parties to reconsider their decisions to resign from all posts of the alliance.