Opposition parties Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam (JUI-F) are irked after the Awami National Party (ANP) announced its separation from the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).
The JUI-F and PML-N leaders reacted to the separation of ANP from PDM terming it “the most humiliating move in political history”.
JUI-F’s secretary-general Senator Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri over the move said, “ANP and PPP’s actions have led to the world laughing at us.”
“Despite all this, we went and spoke to ANP’s leadership and they said the move was made based on friendly ties,” he added.
Haideri warned ANP it had made a “blatant” mistake after blaming PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for lacking leadership.
“ANP should not have blamed Fazlur Rehman,” Haideri said.
On the other hand, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said ANP had made several sacrifices for the cause of democracy.
“If Gilani would have come back to PDM after his loss as Senate chairman …. then Nawaz Sharif would not have turned down his request to become the Opposition leader,” she said.
Awami National Party Parts Ways From PDM
ANP Central Senior Vice President Ameer Haider Khan Hoti said that an emergency meeting of the party was held today and the party’s central office bearers and key leaders attended and the agenda was a show-cause notice which has been served to the ANP.
The ANP leader said that he would like to remind the entire nation why the PDM was formed, the All Parties Conference held on September 20 where the Joint Declaration was issued. There was an agenda on which the PDM was founded and the ANP still adheres to this charter and will continue its politics on the basis of the same principles.
He said that after this a successful movement took place which put pressure on the selectors, on which he will give credit to all the parties in the PDM and the people of Pakistan.
“In our view, the agenda of the PDM is the same as it was in September, there is no room for a personal agenda and no one can use the Awami National Party for a personal agenda,” he said.
He said that ANP was and will remain in the field against the elected government.
“After long consultations, we have come to the conclusion that an attempt is being made to take the PDM in another direction,” Hoti said.
“We cannot support anyone’s personal agenda and we are stepping down as PDM,” he said.