PPP, ANP accept invitation of joint opposition's long march to Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Awami National Party (ANP) have accepted the invitation of joint opposition’s long march to Islamabad on March 23, ARY News reported on Monday.

The announcement came after the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) head and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman unveiled a plan to start a long march towards Islamabad on March 23.

Addressing the media after the meeting of the joint opposition in Islamabad today, the PDM chief announced a long march to Islamabad and asked the workers to reach Islamabad on March 23 for a ‘massive’ power show at Constitutional Avenue in front of the Parliament House.

According to the joint opposition’s declaration, PDM and other opposition parties have decided to hold a joint rally at Constitutional Avenue in front of the Parliament House.

It read that the prime minister and the incumbent government have adopted a path to spread violence and the violation of the Constitution by threatening lawmakers from joining the House proceedings.

The joint opposition censured the incumbent government led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for allegedly using negative tactics by announcing its rally at D-Chowk. They warned the PTI government to refrain from choosing the path leading towards chaos, anarchy and clash.

It stated that stopping the lawmakers from reaching the Parliament is tantamount to sabotaging the Constitution of Pakistan.

The joint opposition stated that March 23 power show will be organised to show solidarity with the Parliament, Constitution and democracy. The opposition leaders have strongly condemned the government statement for asking the lawmakers to cross the crowd to reach the Parliament.

READ: OPPOSITION PREPARES ROADMAP POST-NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION

The declaration stated that the prime minister and his ministers will be responsible for any loss to the lawmakers. It added that the incumbent government has lost on the political grounds after failing to achieve the required number of 172 against the no-confidence motion.

They alleged that the government wants to stop the lawmakers’ movement through illegally using the state machinery including police and other institutions.

The joint opposition reiterated that it was the duty of the speaker to summon the session of the National Assembly within 14 days after the requisition.

READ: OPPOSITION’S NUMBER GAME HAS CHANGED, SAYS PM IMRAN

It added that it was a constitutional duty of the speaker to conduct voting in the House within seven days after the submission of the no-confidence motion.

The declaration said that it would be a violation of the constitutional duty of the speaker by delaying the process for summoning a NA session in which the no-confidence motion will be tabled.

Moreover, the joint opposition has also demanded the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to immediately announce the verdict of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) foreign funding case.

They demanded the announcement of the verdict on the day of the hearing of the PTI foreign funding case today.