Inside story: PML-N wants date of PDM long march announced in next meeting

• PML-N meeting at Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's house resolves to persuade PDM to announce long march date in next meeting
• Working group of the party to be led by Khawaja Saad Rafique
• Nawaz Sharif addresses meeting via video link

LAHORE: A recent meeting of the PML-N leadership held at former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's house formed a consensus on the need to adopt a clear stance on its anti-government drive and to ensure that the date of the long march is announced in the upcoming meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

The meeting, held on Tuesday night, was attended by senior PML-N leaders which included Maryam Nawaz, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Javed Latif, Khawaja Saad Rafique and Pervaiz Rasheed.

Former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif also addressed the meeting via video link. Exchanging views on the current political situation, the leaders agreed on pressing the PDM to announce the date of the long march in the upcoming meeting of the alliance.

It was also decided that Nawaz Sharif will speak to former president Asif Ali Zardari and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in this regard.

Sources confirmed to Geo News that the PML-N leadership agreed on keeping all options on the table, including resignations from assemblies and the long march.

A working group of the party has been formed which will be led by Khawaja Saad Rafique and will comprise of Rana Sanaullah, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Khurram Dastagir and Javed Latif.

The working group, according to sources, will present recommendations of the party for the upcoming PDM meeting.

Bilawal says PDM will 'force the removal of puppets' from government

The Opposition parties, which have joined hands under the anti-government campaign labelled the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), would now "force the removal of puppets", PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had warned on Sunday.

In a series of tweets, Bilawal Bhutto had that the "selected" Prime Minister Imran Khan "failed to resign by the deadline set by the PDM".

The Opposition's coalition "had given this illegitimate regime the opportunity to step aside respectfully & allow for a transition to democracy with free, fair & transparent elections", he had noted.

The PPP boss had reiterated that the people of Pakistan were facing "historic, poverty, unemployment & inflation because this govt was forced on them".

Bilawal had said that the PPP will discuss both the option of the long march and the no-confidence movement in the upcoming meeting of the alliance.

Since the PPP believed in relying only on the democratic tactics, there would now be "sustained joint efforts inside & outside parliament", Bilawal had underscored, hoping for them to "ultimately succeed".

"Long March & no confidence will hopefully be discussed in our PDM meeting. [The PTI government's] desperation is clear. [It's] trying to change rules to rig Senate elections because they can see their defeat," Bilawal had said.