PDM announces ‘Mehangai March’ on March 23

ISLAMABAD:– Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – an anti-government alliance of the opposition parties – on Monday while renaming its much-delayed long march to “Mehangai March” announced to march towards Islamabad on March 23.

Addressing a press conference after the PDM meeting in Islamabad on Monday, PDM chairman Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the PDM leadership would hold meetings in all the four provinces regarding march against rising inflation.

He said that the incumbent government came to power in wake of rigging in 2018 general election.

Fazlur Rehman said that all the leaders of the opposition parties attended today s meeting and the situation in the country was discussed, adding that the issue of resignations was also discussed in the meeting but the PDM will decide when and how to do it voluntarily.

The JUI-F chief further went on to say that the opposition leadership will also hold meetings with Supreme Court Bar Assosciation (SCBA), Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and business community regarding “Mehangai March”.

Steering Committee recommendations

Earlier, the steering committee of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had finalized recommendations for the long march and plan for resignations during a meeting chaired by PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

During the meeting, recommendations had been made in support of the resignations, which will be presented at the meeting heads of PDM parties.

The committee members had also agreed that the opposition alliance should hold a long march and tender resignations from assemblies.

It had agreed that conventions and protest rallies should be held all across the country before the long march while it was decided that time of long march and tendering resignations time and determination of date will be decided by the PDM chiefs meeting.

Previous calls for long march

This is not the first time the PDM has announced protests against the incumbent government. Since its formation in September 2020, the alliance has held several rallies across the country in an attempt to pressure PM Khan into stepping down.

But the opposition alliance has so far failed to achieve its desired results.

Earlier this year, the PDM announced a march on Islamabad, but canceled it following rifts between opposition parties over a decision on whether or not to resign en masse from parliament.

In October, the opposition alliance, had announced countrywide protests against Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government over rising inflation, the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next general election, and other policy decisions.

The alliance while demanding fresh elections in the country had announced countrywide protests and strikes from October 20. “The PDM wants a democratic and constitutional system in the country. We have to work hard and stand firm; the result is in the hands of Allah,” said Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The PDM chief had also lambasted the government saying the government, which has come into power as a result of rigging, has no right to give a formula for free and fair elections in the country.