KARACHI: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman has asserted that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) stabbed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in the back, as he announced an expansion of protests by the movement across the country.
Talking to journalists alongside Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif in Karachi on Saturday, the PDM told reporters to not discuss PPP as it was “a thing of the past”.
“PDM will also raise the issues in Sindh,” he said, hitting out once more at the PPP. The PDM chief said women would also come to the anti-government protests, and they would be treated with the utmost respect.
The PDM chief said the Opposition alliance rejects the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA). “We do not accept this black law,” he added.
Fazl said PDM stands in solidarity with the journalist community and announced a protest outside the parliament, as PMDA was an “unannounced”, “dictatorial” law.
The meeting participants expressed sorrow over the fire at a chemical factory that killed 16 labourers in Karachi, the blast in Quetta which left several injured, and other incidents, he said.
Fazl said leaders of all the political parties associated with the anti-government movement had attended the meeting, and they expressed grief over the ongoing “instability” in the country.
He further said that the PDM also rejected the government’s electoral reforms, which he claimed that the “entire world” had disapproved of, but the incumbent government was persistent in introducing.
The PDM chief said the government had “taken away the jobs of thousands” of people, as it aims to bring reforms to make state institutions profitable. “The meeting expressed deep concerns over the unemployment and inflation in the country,” he added.
Bilawal welcomes PDM in Karachi
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, a couple of days ago, termed the news of the PDM holding a jalsa in Karachi as welcome news, adding that his party had informed PDM leaders of doing things the constitutional way.
He said it was the right of every political party to hold rallies. He said that the PPP also desires to give a tough time to the PTI-led coalition government, adding that it has been opposing the regime since it came to power in 2018.
