LAHORE: Head of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has directed all workers of the Pakistan Democratic Movement to start preparations for the long march and has given an ultimatum to the government to resign by January 31.

“The government must resign by January 31,” PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman said at a press briefing in Lahore. He was flanked by PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

“If it (the government) doesn’t resign then a [PDM] leaders’ meeting on February 1 would announce its long march to Islamabad,” Fazl said.

Briefing the media after Monday’s meeting between PDM leadership, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the government is trying to make the country’s media its slave but we will thwart this effort together. He also accused the government of pressurizing media to stop coverage of the rally, saying that he strongly condemns the deplorable role the rulers played yesterday.

“We will decide on the long march date in February if the government refuses to resign by January 31,” he said besides also asking the lawmakers of the opposition parties to submit their resignations with the party leadership by December 31.

He said that the hours-long huddle of the PDM today was aimed at finalizing and announcing the basic motive behind the movement. “All parties have signed the charter of the PDM today,” said Fazlur Rehman.

Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that all PDM leaders have signed the detailed declaration. There was ambiguity on some issues, which had to be removed. By December 31, PDM members of the National and Provincial Assemblies will submit their resignations to their party leaders, he added.

He said that the steering committee has given a schedule to the provinces to prepare for the long march. “Today I want to make it clear to the government that it should resign by January 31”, he said.

While addressing the rulers, he said that the masses should be allowed to go to Islamabad for exercising their right to rule. “The wounds are becoming deep and anguish among people is rising,” he said adding that nation could not be united unless attempts to rig the election process is halted.

During the media talk, a journalist asked Maryam Nawaz if she was ready for talks with the government. Responding to this, she said that everything rests in the hands of the public now, the selectors or the selected no longer matter.

Talking about Sunday’s Lahore rally, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif said that the govt is running for cover after seeing PDM’s successful rally and the ocean of supporters.

Maryam Nawaz said that she has never seen such a rally in her entire life, there were no chairs left and despite the harsh weather, people stayed and attended the rally. “I was amazed to see so much enthusiasm of the people”, she said.

He said that the provincial leaderships have been conveyed the schedule of the long march schedule, who would prepare for the event at local levels.

Maryam also said that some TV channels spread false and fabricated news regarding her displeasure with Sunday’s showing; the party’s MPs worked day and night to make the Lahore rally a success, for which I saluted their efforts, she clarified.

The PDM, an alliance of 11 opposition parties, was formed in September this year to overthrow Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government.

It has since held several rallies in major Pakistani cities, including Gujranwala, Karachi, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta and Lahore.

Besides the march on Islamabad, the alliance has threatened resignations en masse from the legislative assemblies.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, however, appears to be unmoved by the opposition’s threat. The government will hold by-elections if opposition members resign from the assemblies, he says. NNI