ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday sought recommendations from its legal team to challenge the “controversial laws” in the Supreme Court including the NAB amendment ordinance, the legislation with regards to the electronic voting machines (EVMs), and the State Bank of Pakistan (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

The virtual meeting of the nine-party opposition alliance held under the chair of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, which was attended by the PML-N’s top leadership, including Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Qaumi Wattan Party’s chief Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, and others.

The meeting took stock of the country’s prevailing political situation, the proposed long march towards Islamabad, and the forthcoming joint sitting of the parliament, the overall situation in the country, including the NAB amendment bill, EVMs and electoral reforms.

The meeting decided to convene meeting of the steering committee of the PDM on November 22nd to make recommendations for challenging the controversial laws in the Supreme Court.

The meeting tasked JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the PML-N’s Ataullah Tarar to consult the legal fraternity to complete the homework for challenging the controversial legislation in the Supreme Court.

PDM Secretary General Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has also been included in the panel on legal action.

The meeting tasked the steering committee to prepare a strategy for the joint sitting of the parliament from which the government intends to pass bills on which the opposition and the government allied parties have already showed reservations, particularly, with regards to the electoral reforms – the use of the EVMs and e-voting for overseas Pakistanis.

It stated that the panel will finalise preparations to challenge in the Supreme Court the proposed legislation such as the NAB amendment ordinance, the EVMs, and “the transfer of power from the SBP to the IMF”.

The steering committee has also been directed to prepare a date for the “decisive” long march against the government and to make proposals for it in the next meeting on November 22nd.

It was decided at the party-heads level meeting of the PDM would be held on November 23rd, in which the proposals and recommendations formulated in the steering committee would be given final approval.

“The meeting declared that the “malice” of the government is clear and expressed its concerns by strongly condemning that state institutions are forcing the coalition parties to assist the government in enacting legislation…The PDM will not accept the intervention of the state institutions and calls this as an unconstitutional move,” according to the stated.

The meeting urged the state institutions to remain within their constitutional limits and refrain from “testing the patience” of the people.

The meeting approved the holding of the PDM protest rallies in Quetta and Peshawar as per the pre-schedule, and directed the leaders and workers to complete the preparations for these rallies with full vigour, unity, and solidarity.

The meeting condemned the government “for killing people every day with the sword of inflation”.

It noted that the prices of essential commodities including flour, sugar, ghee are not only out of the reach of the people but also these items are not available to the people at high prices.

“The prime minister is responsible for this injustice to the people. The meeting rejected the sharp rise in electricity, gas and petrol prices, saying that despite the most expensive gas in history, the severe crisis in the country has given people sleepless nights and even before the onset of winter,” it stated.

“The meeting vowed to move forward with a clear mind and a solid strategy to steer Pakistan and its people out of the maelstrom and suffering, as the present “corrupt, incompetent and vote-stealing” government has deprived the people of their right to life,” it further maintained.

Earlier in the day, PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif held telephonic conversations with a number of leaders of the opposition political parties, including PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Qaumi Watan Party chief Aftab Sherpao, Balochistan National Party chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal, ANP central leader Amir Haider Hoti, Shafiq Tareen, and National Party’s president Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, MNA Mohsin Dawar and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Sirajul Haq.

During his conversation with the opposition leaders, Shehbaz appreciated the joint efforts of the opposition in the Parliament and thanked them for their cooperation, adding that the opposition parties have shown unprecedented unity and solidarity in the national and public interest.

He said that the principled stance of the opposition and the coalition parties of the government forced the government to retreat.

He said that the opposition alliance in the parliament would also stand against the government’s “malice and black laws” in the forthcoming joint sitting of the parliament.

He said that the opposition alliance will stand against every government action that is in violation of the Constitution as well as anti-people and the parliament.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021