ISLAMABAD: An alliance of opposition factions in Pakistan asked its lawmakers on Tuesday to submit their resignations from the national and provincial assemblies to the heads of their parties by December 31, as its top leaders pledged to fuel their campaign to bring down the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) emerged as a major political platform of various opposition forces after a multiparty conference was arranged on September 20 that decided to launch anti-government agitation and galvanize their workers and supporters all over the country.
The opposition alliance has already conducted public rallies in various Pakistani cities, and it is planning to hold another one in the eastern city of Lahore on December 13.
It held an important meeting on Tuesday to determine the alliance's future strategy before announcing its resignation move.
"All opposition lawmakers in national and provincial assemblies should send their resignations to their party leaders by December 31," said the president of the alliance, Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
He was also accompanied by Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice President Maryam Nawaz.
Rehman added that a PDM steering committee would hold a meeting on Wednesday to determine the nuts and bolts of the strategy and determine when to hold wheel-jam and shutter-down strikes in the country.
The committee will also determine the appropriate time to stage a long march against the government and bring the opposition activists and supporters to Islamabad.
The PDM president said the decisions taken by the committee would be announced in the upcoming public rally in Lahore, adding it would be a "historic" political event that would prove instrumental in bringing down the government.
Prime Minister Khan and his party have already dismissed the opposition strategy to resign, saying they would hold by-elections in all the vacant constituencies.
Pakistan opposition alliance asks lawmakers to submit resignations by December 31
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Pakistan opposition alliance asks lawmakers to submit resignations by December 31
- The Pakistan Democratic Alliance will flesh out its anti-government strategy on Wednesday and determine when to hold wheel-jam and shutter-down strikes in the country
- Prime Minister Imran Khan has already dismissed the opposition strategy to resign, saying he will hold by-elections in all vacant constituencies
Pakistan depart for T20 World Cup while waiting for ICC reaction to India game boycott
- Pakistan shook cricketing world when their government approved participation in World Cup, but asked team to boycott India match on Feb. 15
- The ICC has said Pakistan’s ‘position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premises of a global sporting event’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan departed for the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka on Monday and awaited any sanction from the International Cricket Council for refusing to play India in the tournament.
In video footage released by the Pakistan Cricket Board, the cricketers were dressed in their new World Cup kit as they boarded a bus from a hotel to the airport in Lahore.
India is co-hosting the World Cup but Pakistan will play all of its games in Sri Lanka — including any in the knockout stage — because of political tensions with India.
Pakistan shook the cricketing world when its government instructed the team on Sunday to compete in the World Cup but boycott the group game against India in Colombo on Feb. 15. The government did not give a reason on its X account.
The PCB has reportedly not given official notice to the ICC.
The ICC warned Pakistan there will be consequences.
The ICC said “the position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premises of a global sporting event.” The ICC added Pakistan’s decision was “not in the interest of the global game or the welfare of fans worldwide, including millions in Pakistan.”
Pakistan and India have fought four wars and frequently clash on their border, so their cricket matchups often attract the highest audience and are therefore a significant source of income for broadcasters, sponsors, and the ICC.
They are regularly grouped at ICC tournaments because they have not played a bilateral cricket series for 14 years.
The T20 World Cup starts on Saturday when Pakistan is scheduled to open against the Netherlands.
Pakistan will play a final warmup game against Ireland on Wednesday in Colombo.
After Pakistan wrapped up a 3-0 Twenty20 series win over Australia on Sunday in Lahore, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said he will follow the government’s instructions.
“It’s not our decision (to boycott the India game), we can’t do anything about it,” Agha said. “We will do whatever our government and the (PCB) chairman say.”
PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has criticized the ICC for “double standards” by refusing to shift Bangladesh’s games to Sri Lanka after the Bangladesh government didn’t allow its team to travel to India due to security concerns. The ICC axed Bangladesh and replaced it with Scotland for the tournament.
The strained political relations between India and Pakistan spilled onto the cricket field last year when India players refused to shake hands with Pakistan players during three Asia Cup games, including the final, in the United Arab Emirates. Later, India left without the trophy after it refused to accept it from Naqvi, who is the president of the Asian Cricket Council.
