Maulana Fazl says anti-inflation march of PDM on 23rd March will be the last nail in the coffin for this govt
Says Transparency Int’l has exposed true face of incumbent govt
ISLAMABAD ( Web News )
Despite persistent persuasion by the government, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has decided to continue with the long march against rising inflation on March 23 (Pakistan Day).
PDM’s President and Ameer Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-(Fazl) Maulana Fazlur Rehman, speaking to the media after concluding the all-parties session of the Opposition on Tuesday, said: “The PDM will enter Islamabad on the scheduled day and the government knew such a big march was due on that day, so under which conspiracy did they make such recommendations?”
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that all members have decided that an inflation march against the government will be held as per schedule on March 23. He said: “People will turn to Islamabad from all corners of the country and this anti-inflation march will be the last nail in the coffin for this government.”
The PDM chief reiterated that the people of Pakistan have been overburdened because of inflation, and PDM rejects the government’s “mini-budget.” He went on to say that since the government is non-serious itself, it is “also treating the country’s economy in a non-serious manner.”
He added that during the session, all Opposition parties have been directed to continue with the preparations of the long march.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman reiterated that the Opposition would “never allow the government to trade the freedom and sovereignty of the country.”
“The PTI leaders have made a mockery of the country’s economy,” he asserted, lamenting that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has been enslaved by international financial institutions.
Referring to Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI 2021), in which Pakistan’s rank has fallen 16 places to 140 from 124 out of 180 countries, the PDM chief said that the current government labeled all other politicians as thieves; however, “the international institution has shown them their own reflection in the mirror.”
“Transparency International has exposed the true face of the incumbent government,” he said, adding that the PTI-led government is the most “incompetent, failed and corrupt” government in the history of Pakistan.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said: “We will not accept the presidential style of government under any circumstance,” saying that the Opposition has fought for the survival of the country and will continue to do so.
“Presidential system is another name of dictatorship,” the JUI chief said, adding that the end of parliamentary rule “seems to be a conspiracy”. “We will never allow this nefarious conspiracy to be fulfilled as the country had previously suffered because of the presidential system. “This system would not be accepted.” He further added that the presidential style of government has a “dark history” in Pakistan.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the government is once again making plans for rigging in order to come back into power in the next general elections.
Referring to the report released by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) scrutiny committee, he said: “PTI had hidden details of 22 accounts, and Prime Minister Imran Khan should be disqualified for hiding these details.” “PM Imran Khan has been convicted in this foreign funding case,” Fazl said, adding that the PTI was established based on “corruption and hence, the entire party is corrupt.”
Terming the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) “unconstitutional”, Fazl said that PDM has already rejected it, adding that EVM is another name of Results Transmission System (RTS). “We will not accept such elections,” Fazl maintained.
Before beginning the session, Maulana Fazlur Rehman had said the PTI-led government has “lost its moral standing,” adding that the government allies are also hesitant to cooperate due to PTI’s “anti-people policies.”
The JUI chief said that the Opposition should hold serious talks with all government-allied parties and convince them of their stance against the government. “If all allied parties support the Opposition in the House, the motion of no confidence would not be required,” he said.
A meeting of the PDM was held in Islamabad under the chairmanship of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and was attended by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Maryam Aurangzeb, Dr. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Bilal Kayani, Dr. Abdul Malik Baloch, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Shah Owais Ahmed Noorani, Senator Hafiz Abdul Karim and Hafiz Hamdullah. Apart from them, Ahsan Iqbal, Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif participated in the meeting through video link.
The meeting reviewed the strategy for the March 23 long march and also discussed in-house change. The recommendations of the PDM’s steering committee were considered and the foreign funding case against PTI was also reviewed. The report of Transparency International was also reviewed.