HYDERABAD: Leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) have urged the Supreme Court not to become a party over the question of open Senate vote for which a presidential reference has been filed before it.

They said that it was parliament alone that could “break its silence” if the constitution was silent.

They were speaking at a public meeting at Hatri bypass here on Tuesday. It was addressed by almost all central leaders of the PDM, except PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz who could not make it due to an accident of her daughter in Lahore.

The PDM leaders said the establishment would have to tender an apology to the nation for getting involved in politics.

They said the PDM’s struggle would be taken to its logical end as the alliance wanted to reconstitute Pakistan afresh where the rights over natural resources of nations living in different federating units were recognised.

Fazl says plans afoot to rig election to upper house of parliament

PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman — who arrived from Sujawal in a rally — urged the judiciary to stay away from the controversy over open Senate vote. He said: “I respectfully request honourable judges considering their judicial stature not to become a party in the open Senate vote issue. The judiciary can only interpret the constitution to clear ambiguity in any clause. But it is parliament alone that can break its silence of the constitution on some point.” He added that it would require a constitutional amendment.

He said a long march would be staged on March 26 in Rawalpindi and Islamabad and asked PDM component parties to stage ‘mehengai march’ at district levels till then.

He said the PDM had shaken those who called the shots in Pakistan by telling them that a government could not be formed through election rigging.

He said the PDM was committed to ousting the “inept” government which was formed through backdoor (conspiracies).

“When the establishment says it should not be dragged into politics as it stays neutral, we appreciate it. When did we want that our army gets involved in politics? But such mistakes have been committed and there is no other way out other than tendering an apology to the nation,” he said.

Referring to the 2018 general election, the Maulana said: “I was surprised to read a statement that enemy has been defeated. Elections were won by PTI and you [establishment] were announcing its victory. Still, you say that you have nothing to do with the PTI’s victory.”

He said the PDM was fighting for the Constitution and the people and unless the alliance got sanctity of the masses’ vote restored it would not rest.

He alleged that like 2018 polls, planning was being made to rig Senate elections.

He said islands were owned by Sindh and Balochistan.

PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said the opposition had not dragged the establishment into politics but this done by those politicians who wanted to get their budget passed through them, woo friendly countries, seek help for Gligit-Baltistan election and get legislation passed in the parliament.

He said now Senate polls were approaching and they were seeking the establishment’s help again.

He said the PPP wanted to see the institutions working according to their constitutionally defined role, politics being left for politicians and people being allowed make their decisions.

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said a long march would be held to oust this inept government.

He lambasted what he said “selected” prime minister for saying Sindh was not their province. He said Imran Khan needed taxes, gas and coal from Sindh but he would not spend on Sindh’s development out of these resources.

He accused the PM of committing robbery on Sindh’s rights. He said people would not tolerate this government any longer and the PDM would protect democracy and people’s rights by ousting this prime minister.

He said this year Rs200 billion was not released to Sindh under the National Finance Commission award which could have been spent on welfare of people of Hyderabad, jobs and other services. He said these funds belonged to Sindh and its people.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai said Maulana Fazl and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari should meet the army leadership at GHQ in the wake of recent ISPR statement and get a statement on oath that they would not take part in politics and then PDM should announce suspension of its activities.

He said if any grand dialogue was to be held then the PM would have to dissolve assemblies first and such dialogue must include judges, generals, journalists, ulema and politicians.

National Party leader Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said negotiations were required for creating a conducive environment in Balochistan. He said whatever was being done in Gwadar Chinese were getting 93 per cent and 7pc went to the federation while Balochistan got nothing.

He said: “What will happen when the people will say they don’t accept the constitution when other side doesn’t accept it”.

JUP leader Awais Noorani said if the establishment was not involved in politics then who had disbursed money during a sit-in.

BNP-Mengal leader Senator Jehanzeb Jamaldini and ANP leader Shahi Sayed also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2021