PDM leaders meet at Jati Umra to mull anti-government strategy

• Bilawal Bhutto, Asif Zardari have joined the meeting via video link
• Maulana Fazlur Rehman is chairing the session
• PDM leaders expected to make important decisions

LAHORE: The leaders of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) are meeting at Jati Umra in Lahore to make final decisions regarding the future course of action of their anti-government campaign.

The 11-party Opposition alliance is deliberating upon en masse resignations from the assemblies and contesting the Senate elections and by-polls. The meeting has assumed significance after the PPP decided to take part in the election process.

PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is chairing the session while Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto have joined the meeting through video link.

PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz, Pervaiz Raheed, Ayaz Sadiq, and Khawaja Saad Rafique are also in attendance. The PPP leaders who are present at the meeting include Yousuf Raza Gilani, Qamar Zaman Kaira and Farahatullah Babar.

Jamiat Ulema Pakistan head Shah Owais Noorani is leading a delegation of his party. The Qaumi Watan Party is represented by Aftab Ahmed Sherpao. Senator Sajid Mir and Dr Jamaldini have also joined the meeting.

Read more: PDM ready for second phase of anti-government agitation, schedule issued 

‘PML-N to contest by-polls’

The PML-N has decided in principle to contest the by-polls, sources within the party said on Thursday.

According to the sources, a day earlier when PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz met PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, she discussed contesting by-polls.

The sources added that if the PPP decides to "stick to its decision of contesting Senate elections, then PML-N will also consider the same".

They said that the party will deliberate on the matter further after January 31 — the "deadline" given by the PDM to Prime Minister Imran Khan to step down.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that each party must decide on its own whether or not it wants to contest the by-elections, the sources said, adding that the matter will be taken up by the PDM in their meeting on January 1.

According to the sources, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari " will be persuaded to not pursue contesting the Senate elections as yet".

Read more: 'If you do not resign by Jan 31, we will march to Islamabad'

‘PDM to hear PPP's stance’

On Wednesday, the PDM said it will hear from Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari about the party's stance on various options in the ongoing anti-government campaign.

In a press conference in Islamabad, PDM chief Fazlur Rehman and Maryam Nawaz expressed their willingness to hear from the party chairman himself what PPP's stance is on matters such as participation in the Senate elections and resignations from assemblies.

Their remarks come in the backdrop of a PPP Central Executive Committee meeting held on Tuesday following which speculation was rife that legal experts have advised party heads against untimely resignations from the national and provincial assemblies.

Bilawal, in a media briefing following the meeting, put to rest such rumours, saying that although the CEC is in favour of challenging the PTI government at every forum, including Senate elections, nothing final has been announced.

The PPP chairman also said the party would collect all of its lawmakers' resignations by December 31 and will put all matters discussed in the CEC meeting before the PDM leadership in the meeting on January 1.