PDM announces new phase of anti-govt protests across Pakistan

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), the anti-government opposition alliance, has announced to launch a new phase of protests against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan across the country.

However, the new phase of protests will be in the upcoming months, beginning with a demonstration in Swat district on July 4.

"PDM has devised a plan of protests across the country and on July 4, a grand demonstration will be staged in Swat," The Express Tribune quoted Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief and head of PDM Maulana Fazlur Rehman as saying.

Fazl, while briefing the media, said after Swat the anti-government movement will stage similar demonstrations in Karachi, Islamabad and other cities.

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by the JUI-F chief and attended by PDM constituent party members in Islamabad.

He also stated that the PDM constituent parties with consensus have rejected the government's suggestion of holding next elections through electronic voting machines (EVMs). "Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) which is poll supervisory body should summon meeting of all political parties and formulate a joint plan on election reforms."

The meeting termed EVMs a plot of pre-poll rigging, said the JUI-F chief, adding that the opposition alliance has also rejected the presidential ordinance issued in this connection.

While responding to a question regarding Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) separation from the alliance, Fazl said the matter was not discussed in the meeting, The Express Tribune reported.

The PPP and the ANP parted ways with the PDM in March after the alliance issued show cause notices to the parties' leadership for deviating from a decision with regard to appointment of the leader of opposition in the upper house of the parliament.

On speculations that PDM was planning to boycott upcoming budget session in parliament, Fazl said no decision in this regard has been taken thus far. However, he added that Shehbaz being the leader of opposition in National Assembly will host a seminar of all opposition parties on the matter.

( With inputs from ANI )