PDM heads to meet today to discuss EVMs, Islamabad march

• A wide range of issues including EVMs, long march, electoral reforms, and inflation will be discussed in the meeting.
• The meeting of the opposition’s alliance will be held at the PML-N Secretariat in the federal capital. 
• The opposition leadership would also mull over a joint strategy to take forward the anti-government movement.

ISLAMABAD: The heads of the component parties of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will meet in Islamabad today to discuss the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and its long march to the federal capital, The News reported.

The meeting of the Opposition’s alliance will be held at the PML-N Secretariat in the federal capital.

Sources privy to the matter said that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz will be among the attendees.

A wide range of issues including electronic voting machines (EVMs), Islamabad long march, electoral reforms, and inflation will be discussed in the meeting.

The opposition leadership would also mull over the joint strategy to take forward the anti-government movement besides finalising the date and features of the upcoming road caravan.

The PDM had earlier decided to focus on Punjab as the centre of its protest movement against the government.

'Early elections 'only way to take Pakistan forward'

Two days earlier, the PDM had called for early elections in the country, as it termed them the "need of the hour" and the only way forward for Pakistan amid rising inflation and economic crisis.

The demand was put forth by PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif as they addressed a press conference following a meeting at the latter's residence.

Briefing the media, Shahbaz had said the country's political developments were discussed in detail during the meeting. He had added that matters related to PDM, skyrocketing inflation, increase in electricity, flour prices, and dengue — which is wreaking havoc in the country — also came under discussion.

The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly had said all political parties and the masses demand free and fair elections in the country, which was the "only way to take Pakistan forward".