No PPP, ANP: PDM to discuss anti-govt strategy today

ISLAMABAD: The Opposition alliance is meeting today to deliberate over its anti-government strategy, but the PPP and ANP have not been invited to the steering committee meeting. According to report, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has decided in principle that it will not invite the parties to the next meeting of leaders of its component parties after they announced to quit the alliance following show-cause notices.

The PDM had served notices to PPP and ANP after they unilaterally got Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani elected Opposition leader in the Senate, violating a consensus decision of the PDM. The publication reported that the PDM will discuss the anti-government movement, long march and resignations from the assemblies planned after Eidul Fitr. Sources privy to the recent contacts among former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif said these leaders have developed a consensus that the PPP and ANP leadership will not be invited to the next meeting of leaders of component parties.

They said both Nawaz and Fazl are of the view that if the PPP and ANP gave appropriate replies to the clarification sought by PDM, they could again become its part but these parties acted against their expectations.

The sources said Nawaz and Fazl now adopted a strict stance against PPP and ANP and both of them also informed Shahbaz about it during their separate telephonic conversations with him.

Though Shahbaz holds a somewhat different position regarding PPP and ANP, he will not take any position contrary to the views of Nawaz, the sources said. They said it would now be tough for Fazl to convince Shahbaz for the political stance already taken by him regarding the long march and resignations from the assemblies, adding that "the support from Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz will certainly help the PDM rope in Shahbaz Sharif for its political goals and targets."