Pakistan Democratic Movement chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Tuesday announced that a 12-point agreement, ‘Meesaq-e-Pakistan’, had been reached between members of the opposition alliance, a private TV channel reported.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, following a meeting between various PDM leaders, Fazlur Rehman said that this fulfils the promise made to people of sharing the ground rules and objectives of the 11-party anti-government campaign.
The 12 points of the covenant are: enforcement of and supremacy of the constitution of Pakistan; autonomy of the parliament; elimination of the role of establishment and intelligence agencies from politics; establishment of an independent judiciary; reforms for free, independent and fair elections; protection of basic human and democratic rights of the people; protection of the rights of the provinces and the 18th constitutional amendment; effective local government system; security of freedom of expression and media; elimination of extremism and terrorism and the implementation of the National Action Plan; emergency economic plan for an end to inflation, unemployment, and for poverty alleviation; and protection and implementation of the Islamic provisions of the constitution.
The JUI-F chief said that the alliance ‘rejected’ the results of the Gilgit-Baltistan elections, adding that the polls were a ‘replay of 2018 general elections’. He declared that the elections were ‘stolen’ from the masses and “state machinery and institutions were used freely”. Fazl, who is also president of the PDM, said that the GB polls had proven the PDM’s stance on the 2018 elections as true and vowed that the alliance will not “sit back until this selected government goes home”.
Fazlur Rehman, during the briefing, also made passing remarks about the Shabbar Zaidi controversy, saying that the ex-FBR chief’s “confession” is an “FIR against the government”. “The sugar mafia was given a facility of Rs 400 billion,” alleged the PDM chief, adding: “Shabbar Zaidi said that Imran Khan told him ‘leave them, they fund us’.” He also said that when Zaidi “caught those responsible”, he was “fired”.
In his press talk, Rehman also said that PDM’s “momentum will be increased” and all rallies and public meetings will be held as per schedule. “We reject the decision that is being taken to suspend rallies and public meetings in the garb of coronavirus,” he told reporters.
The PDM, which has already held public meetings in Gujranwala, Karachi and Quetta, is now scheduled to hold public meetings in Peshawar on November 22, in Multan on November 30 and in Lahore on December 13. The PDM has already given the call for a long march to Islamabad in January next year to seek the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan. However, the government has hinted at banning public meetings and rallies in light of rising coronavirus cases.
When asked about Prime Minister Imran’s announcement regarding the introduction of electoral reforms, Rehman said, “They (government) are used to rigging. They are trying to pressurise other members [of Parliament] and this will not happen. We are taking measures to block this but we won’t tell you about this at this stage.”
In response to another question, the JUI-F chief said that PDM will not hold talks with the government as the latter “does not represent masses”. “We have decided that we will not end our campaign until the selected government is sent packing,” the Maulana declared. He said that the NAB, FIA and other agencies are “taking revenge” by making “false cases” against politically active people.
