PDM top brass links up after Bilawal Bhutto's 'no-confidence motion' statement

KARACHI: The top brass of the Opposition parties' anti-government coalition, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), have linked up with each other through phone calls after PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's call last week for a 'no-confidence motion' bid against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Leaders of the PDM parties, including the PPP, JUI-F, and the PML-N, reached out to each other for consultations on Pakistan's political situation, sources informed Geo News on Tuesday.

According to the sources, PML-N Supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif called JUI-F and PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, saying it would be much better if the Kashmir Solidarity Day (February 5) rally announced by the Opposition coalition was held in Azad Kashmir instead of Rawalpindi.

Read more: PML-N leaders oppose no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan

Later, Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan and PML-N's Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also met Fazlur Rehman in this regard, following which the PDM chief took all the parties into confidence and made a decision.

Consequently, the PDM changed the venue of its Feb 5 rally and would now hold the Kashmir Solidarity Day event in Muzaffarabad instead of the previously-decided venue in Rawalpindi.

Also read: What are PDM's chances of getting PM Imran Khan thrown off the throne?

On the other hand, the JUI-F boss also had a telephonic conversation with former president and PPP co-chairperson, Asif Ali Zardari, in which the latter discussed in detail bringing a no-confidence motion against PM Imran Khan, National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Bazdar, the sources added.

The two leaders also held consultations on jointly contesting the upcoming Senate elections.

Sources further underlined that a final decision on the no-confidence motion and the Senate elections would be taken at a meeting of the PDM leaders later.

Related: Sheikh Rasheed backs Bilawal, says no-confidence motion 'only way to oust govt'

Earlier, Bilawal had said in a statement that the PTI regime would only be toppled from power through a no-confidence motion — not through meetings — a comment that Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed had agreed on.

Rasheed had termed the PPP boss' comments as "coming-of-age", noting that the slain former premier Benazir Bhutto's son had become "sensible and mature".

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