ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Wednesday rejected the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s ‘unilateral’ electoral reforms and the idea of introducing electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the general election, terming it as the “simplest way to rig the polls”.

The PDM’s party-leadership level meeting was chaired by its president Maulana Fazlur Rehman, while PML-N Quaid Nawaz Sharif and its party vice president Maryam Nawaz attended the meeting via video link.

Addressing a joint news conference along with PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and other PDM leaders, Maulana Fazlur Rehman also announced the schedule of the opposition alliance’s forthcoming activities, including its steering committee meeting on August 21 in Karachi, followed by leadership-level meeting on August 28, and a public rally in Karachi on August 29.

He said that the August 28 meeting would finalise the recommendations of the steering committee.

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He said that the meeting rejected the “unilateral” electoral reform put forward by the PTI government, adding that the PDM believes that the EVMs would be the “simplest way to rig the elections”, besides rejecting the results of the recently held elections in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

“We believe that NAB and FIA have become political institutions, who have lost their standing, as they are being used against the opposition,” he maintained, adding and the government should end its “tactics to gag the press.”

He said that the meeting also condemned the “growing atrocities against journalists” and demanded the government to withdraw all the cases against media persons.

Maulana said that it was decided that the PDM will make all out efforts for holding free and fair elections in the country.

He said the PDM leaders took an in-depth review of the internal and external challenges to the country, after which, the meeting’s participants demanded that opposition lawmakers in the parliament should be taken into confidence over the situation.

He said that the meeting’s participants unanimously agreed the country faces severe internal and external challenge, while the incumbent government has completely failed in dealing with the challenges.

“Pakistan is facing isolation due to the current government’s failed policies. As a result of the failed foreign policy, Pakistan was not allowed to present its case during the UNSC meeting on Afghanistan,” he added.

“At this time, there is no constitutional governance in the country and attacks of freedom of expression are rampant, journalists are being ambushed,” he further maintained.

He said that all the institutions should work within the constitutional framework and end their unconstitutional role, so that the country can start running on the constitutional lines and can face the growing challenges.

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Responding to a question regarding Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary’s presser about anti-Pakistan campaign on social media by some opposition parties, he said: “Nobody in the country is more loyal to the country than the members of the opposition parties.”

“Nobody in the country is more loyal to Pakistan than we are. I think they [Fawad Chaudhry] are lagging far behind on account of loyalty with the country,” Maulana further maintained.

On Afghanistan, he said that the PDM believes the only way forward is through an inclusive political solution, as Pakistan wants a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

He said that the meeting expressed serious concerns over the rapidly increasing price hike and deteriorating law and order situation.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021