DACCA: The National Executive of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) tonight [Jan 7] approved the draft resolution embodying the decisions and the broad-based programmes of the eight Opposition political parties for launching a united movement in the country.

This was stated to this correspondent tonight by Mr. Mahmud Ali, Secretary-General, PDM, on the conclusion of the five-day deliberations of the PDM. The draft was prepared by a three-man Committee consisting of Mian Mumtaz Mohammad Khan Daultana (Council Muslim League Mr. Mahmud Ali Kasuri (Requisitionist NAP) and Syed Naznil Islam (Six-point Awami League). The sub-committee was earlier authorised to prepare the draft by heads of eight political parties currently engaged in the move for a joint movement to restore democracy in the country.

These leaders were: Mr. Nurul Amin, Ch. Mohammad Ali, Mian Mumtaz Mohammad Khan Daultana, Mr. Mahmud Ali Kasuri, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, Mahmudul Huq Osmani, Mr. Mohammad Tofail Mahmud Mufti, and Syed Nazrul Islam.

At the concluding session of the PDM tonight, Mr. Mahmud Ali said, the National Executive of the PDM adopted three separate resolutions on political, economic and student problems. The session, which was presided over by Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, also heard in detail decisions contained in the draft prepared by the sub-committee with reference to the cooperative attitude of the other political parties outside PDM.

[Meanwhile, as reported by an agency in Paris,] official sources here today [Jan 7] confirmed reports from Tel Aviv that France had clamped a total embargo on all its arms sales to Israel. The sources said the decision was designed as a warning after the Israeli raid on Beirut Airport which destroyed three quarters of the Lebanese commercial air fleet. France judges the raid was out of proportion with the Athens airport incident which the Israelis said they were avenging, and could only aggravate tension in the Middle East, the sources said.

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2019