PDM nominates Yousaf Raza Gilani as joint candidate for Senate chairman election

• PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has convened a PDM meeting in Islamabad today.
• Yousaf Raza Gilani has been nominated as a joint candidate for the Senate chairperson election.
• The PDM has announced a long march in Islamabad on March 26.
  

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has nominated former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani as its joint candidate for the upcoming election for the post of Senate chairperson.

The decision by the Opposition alliance was taken during a meeting chaired by PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Islamabad today.

The meeting of the Opposition party heads is also discussing a future strategy to oust the PTI-led government.

Earlier, sources had reported that besides reviewing the process of the vote of confidence sought and secured by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the meeting will also discuss a strategy for the Opposition's planned long march and the election of the Senate chairman. 

Read more: PML-N convenes important meeting to discuss PDM’s action plan

The PDM has previously announced a long march to Islamabad on March 26.

In this regard, PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had earlier clarified that the Opposition's leaders and workers will not arrive in Islamabad for a short stay but will sit there and protest against the government till their demands are met.

A day ago, the PML-N also held an important meeting to discuss plans related to the anti-government long march.

In addition, PPP chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and leader of the Opposition in Punjab Hamza Shahbaz also met to discuss important political developments, including the possibility of an in-house change in the Punjab Assembly.

'Need a clear plan'

PDM chief Maulana Fazl, speaking during the meeting, said the 11-party alliance needed a clear plan for the anti-government long march.

Fazl suggested that the protestors should stage a sit-in at Rawalpindi or Islamabad for a few days and then move forward.

"The country's economic and foreign policy have failed," he said as he talked about ousting the government.

Fazl stressed the need to resign from the assemblies and focus all of the coalition's energy on the anti-government movement. "Even resigning is a democratic tactic."

'Why was Fazl not voted for president?'

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan chief Maulana Owais Noorani asked PPP's Qamar Zaman Kaira the reason why the Opposition parties did not vote for Fazl during the presidential elections.

According to sources, Kaira replied by saying that the incident was before the PDM's formation — and the parties were coalition partners, so they had not merged.

Following the exchange of words, Fazl asked Noorani to not talk about the matter and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi changed the topic.