JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman appointed PDM's first leader

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has been appointed the head of the 11-party Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) launched by Opposition parties last month to oust the incumbent government for its "failures in all sectors".

The decision was made in a virtual meeting of the alliance's steering committee held on Saturday and announced by PML-N secretary-general Ahsan Iqbal.

"Nawaz Sharif recommended Fazlur Rehman's name and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari endorsed it," Iqbal said.

He said that the leader will change on a rotation basis and the duration of appointment will be determined soon.

"PDM has expressed great confidence in the leadership of Fazlur Rehman," said the PML-N stalwart.

"PDM's struggle is to ensure that the Constitution and the supremacy of law are upheld and the people's economic rights are protected," he said.

The movement's goal is to achieve that form of government that was the vision of Quaid-e-Azam, he added.

Iqbal said that unanimous approval was accorded to a number of resolutions.

Among these were the following:

- The government linking the PDM to India is proof of its delusions
- To declare a three time prime minister, under whose leadership Pakistan successfully conducted nuclear tests, an enemy of the state is condemnable
- We strongly condemn Shehbaz Sharif's arrest
- The arrest of Opposition politicians is a "conspiracy to steal" the Gilgit-Baltistan mandate
- PDM's constitutional and democratic struggle will not be stopped
- The people want freedom from the "fake government" who has brought them nothing but inflation, unemployment, and economic destruction

The meeting was attended by Nawaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Ahsan Iqbal, Nawab Akhtar Mengal, Shah Owais Noorani, Ameer Haider Khan Houthi and other notable Opposition figures.

The PDM's organisational hierarchy was also discussed.

Ten days ago, the Opposition's Rehbar Committee — comprising top leaders from each party — had recommended Fazlur Rehman's name to head the alliance.

The majority of the attendees agreed on Fazl as their choice to lead the alliance and representatives of smaller political parties stated that only Fazl can lead the opposition effectively.

The movement has announced that it will hold its first public rally on October 11 in Quetta to rid the country of the current “unconstitutional system”.