Maryam Nawaz says PDM will not contest Senate elections without consensus

• Maryam Nawaz says PDM will not leave field open for "fake government" in by-polls
• Have to think about the weather and my workers: Maryam Nawaz on long march
• Fazl had announced earlier that the PDM will contest by-polls

LAHORE: PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz said Friday that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will not contest the Senate elections without a consensus on the matter. 

Talking to reporters after the PDM's meeting at Jati Umra, Maryam said that the 11-party Opposition alliance had decided it will not leave "the field open" for the "fake" government. 

"Negotiations [within the PDM] are currently going on with regard to the Senate elections. When the time is near, we will take a decision," she said, adding that the 11-party Opposition alliance will contest the Senate elections only if a consensus to do so is reached between all members. 

Referring to the PDM's long march against the government, the PML-N leader said that she had to take into account the weather and its effect on her workers. 

In response to a question, she said that the PDM could field a joint candidate against the government in the by-polls. "However, we haven't discussed this prospect yet," she said. 

Maryam Nawaz said that it was up to the masses to send the government home.

No rift within PDM, says Maulana Fazlur Rehman

Earlier on Friday, leaders of the PDM addressed a press conference and said that the 11-party alliance is stronger than before, adding that rumours about conflicts within the alliance are false.

Read more: PDM is stronger than before, rumours about conflict within alliance are false: Fazl

Speaking on behalf of the alliance, PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman reiterated that the government only has one month to resign after which PDM members will join heads and start planning the long march.

"We will decide whether to hold long march towards Rawalpindi or Islamabad," he had said, adding that the alliance will announce the date and venue soon of the march soon.

Speaking about the by-polls and Senate elections, Maulana Fazlur Rehman had said that the parties who are part of the PDM will participate in by-polls, adding that a decision on participating in the Senate elections will be taken by the alliance later.

Answering a question, the PDM chief said that many of the decisions taken during the meeting prior to the conference are confidential, therefore, the alliance is not under any obligation to share everything with media.