Pakistan Democratic Movement

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (Urdu: پاکستان ڈیموکریٹک موومنٹ‎), or PDM, is a political Revolutionary movement of political parties in Pakistan against the government of Imran Khan.[4][5] It is led by Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, the leader of the Islamist Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, and supported by the two parties who have previously led Pakistani politics, the Pakistan Muslim League (N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party.[6]

Pakistan Democratic Movement
PresidentMaulana Fazal-ur-Rehman
Secretary-GeneralShahid Khaqan Abbasi[1]
SpokespersonMian Iftikhar Hussain[2]
Senior Vice PresidentRaja Pervaiz Ashraf[3]
FoundedSeptember 20, 2020 (2020-09-20)
SloganVote ko izzat do (Respect the sanctity of the vote)

Background
PDM rally at Multan with Asifa Bhutto-Zardari and Yousaf Raza Gillani.

The PDM claims that the 2018 Pakistani general election, which was won by Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, was rigged by the Pakistani military establishment.[5] The PDM's slogan is vote ko izzat do (Urdu for "honour the vote"). However, Imran Khan's government maintains that the movement is motivated by a series of corruption cases against the leaders of the political parties that had previously governed Pakistan, namely the PML-N and the PPP.[7] Moreover, according to Imran Khan, the opposition never appealed to the legal bodies to contest the elections as the PTI had in the 2013 general elections and maintains that the opposition is still demanding National Reconcialiance Ordinance (NROs), giving their corruption a clean slate.[8] On 20 September 2020, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the center-left Pakistan Peoples Party, hosted an “all parties conference” at the Islamabad Marriott Hotel to form a grand political alliance and plan strategy for replacing the Imran Khan government. Fazal-ur-Rehman, a harsh critic of Imran Khan, read out the 26-point resolution adopted by the attendees. “The opposition unanimously demands the immediate resignation of Imran Khan,” Rehman told reporters. Nawaz Sharif, former Prime Minister, criticized Pakistan’s military Establishment in his address via video link, stating: “Imran Khan is not our target. Our struggle is against those who brought Imran Khan in power."

Protests organised by the PDM in October 2020 drew over 50,000 people.[9] The government has remained critical and dismissive of the rallies.[10] The PDM planned to hold a "long march" to the capital Islamabad in January 2021, aiming to oust the current elected government.[11]

Constituents

The coalition was formed from 11 political parties (sorted alphabetically):

Senior leadership
PDM leadership.

Public gatherings

(13 February 2021)

(16 February 2021)

(23 February 2021)

  • Khuzdar

(27 February 2021)

Rifts

Due to disagreements with Fazl-ur-Rehman's leadership, Maulana Sheerani, and other senior members of the JUI broke away and formed their own political party called the Jamiat-Ulema-i-Islam Pakistan, claiming that Fazl had personalized the party and used it for his own needs, dismissing the needs of the party itself.[32]

Some political analysts comment that alliance within the PDM may be faltering as the players who previously were propped up by the establishment, are hesitant to face it, while others seek attention and 'a piece of the power pie'.[33]

References
  1. Dawn (2020-11-09). "PDM to work on fresh 'charter of democracy'". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  2. "Govt must accept its failure, announce fresh elections: PDM". The Express Tribune. 2020-10-18. Retrieved 2020-11-01.
  3. https://www.24newshd.tv/05-Oct-2020/pdm-issues-new-schedule-of-public-gatherings-across-country
  4. "Sharif checkmates Pakistani establishment". Asia Times. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  5. Hashim, Asad. "Pakistani politician released as opposition to continue protests". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  6. "Maulana Fazlur Rehman unanimously appointed as head of Pakistan's new anti-govt alliance PDM". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  7. "Who is leading the Pakistan Democratic Movement: Maryam Nawaz Sharif or Maulana Fazlur Rehman?". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  8. Dawn.com, Nadir Guramani | (2020-09-16). "Opposition blocks another FATF-related bill in Senate". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  9. Ellis-Petersen, Shah Meer Baloch Hannah (2020-10-17). "Pakistan's united opposition protests against Imran Khan's rule". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  10. PM Imran terms PDM Lahore public meeting 'pathetic', rules out NRO again. DAWN.COM. Available: https://www.dawn.com/news/1595562/ Retrieved: 2020-12-30
  11. "Opposition parties in Pakistan launch alliance to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  12. "Is Pakistan Democratic Movement fizzling out?". The Express Tribune. 2020-10-10. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  13. Dawn.com (2020-09-20). "Struggle not against Imran Khan but those who brought him into power: Nawaz Sharif". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  14. Wasim, Amir (2020-10-04). "Fazl to head anti-govt alliance in first phase". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
  15. "PDM's first anti-govt jalsa in Gujranwala draws in thousands". Geo.tv. 2020-10-17. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  16. "All eyes on Bagh-e-Jinnah as PDM holds second anti-govt jalsa in Karachi". The News International. 2020-10-18. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  17. "In Quetta jalsa, PDM lashes out at PM Imran Khan, says govt's end is near". The News International. 2020-10-25. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  18. Wasim, Amir (2020-11-22). "Govt, PDM row over Peshawar rally amid pandemic". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  19. Ahmed, Shakeel (2020-12-01). "PDM holds Multan rally against all odds". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  20. {{Cite web|last=Tahir|first=Zulqernain|date=2020-12-13|title=Stage set for PDM power show in Lahore today020) <ref>"PDM Mardan jalsa: 'Huge rally Masha'Allah,' says Maryam Nawaz". The News International. 2020-12-23. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  21. "LIVE l PDM Larkana Jalsa | Benazir Bhutto Death Anniversary At Garhi Khuda Bakhsh - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  22. "Stage set for another PDM power show in Bahawalpur". The Express Tribune. 2021-01-03. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  23. "PDM to hold power show in Bannu today | Dunya News". video.dunyanews.tv. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  24. "PDM to stage power show in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Malakand today". www.aninews.in. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  25. "Today's outlook: PDM rally in Loralai | SAMAA". Samaa TV. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  26. "PDM protests outside ECP against delay in PTI foreign funding case". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  27. "Abdul Ghafoor Haideri Speech !! PDM "Israel Na Manzoor" march in Karachi". cb.media. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  28. Reporter, The Newspaper's Staff (2021-01-27). "PDM may hold its Feb 5 rally at Muzaffarabad". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2021-02-05.
  29. https://www.dawn.com/news/1604003/maryam-bilawal-to-address-pdms-hyderabad-rally-on-feb-9
  30. "PDM to give date of long march on Feb 1". nation.com.pk. 2020-12-15. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  31. "PDM unlikely to go for option of en masse resignations".
  32. Ali, Kalbe (2020-12-30). "Maulana Sheerani forms own faction of JUI". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  33. Akhtar, Aasim Sajjad (2021-01-22). "Normalcy restored". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2021-01-22.
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