Opposition to approach SC against EVM legislation: PDM

ISLAMABAD, Nov 24 (DNA): Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has decided
to issue a show-cause notice to its missing members from today’s meeting
of the top leaders of the multi-party opposition alliance.

PDM head Maulana Fazlur Rehman chaired the meeting on Tuesday where it
was also decided to approach the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) against
the legislation on electoral reforms and electronic voting machines
(EVMs).

The meeting approved the decisions of the joint opposition’s
parliamentary steering committee and according to sources, Farooq Naek
of the PPP, Azam Nazeer Tarar of the PML-N and Kamran Murtaza of the
JUI-F would jointly devise a strategy regarding legal course against the
legislation.

The opposition also decided to take support from the President of
Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Ahsan Bhoon in this regard.

The PDM meeting, according to sources, further supported Maulana Fazlur
Rehman’s suggestion regarding tendering resignations from assemblies
after leading a long march to Islamabad.

“The meeting also demanded to immediately hold general elections in
2022,” they said.

Sources said that during the meeting, the PDM decided to issue show
cause notices to the members who skipped joint session of Parliament.

Sources further said that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman supported
the proposal of resignations along with the Long March against the
government.

It was also learned that the opposition alliance has decided to
highlight the issue of alleged audio clip of former Chief Justice of
Pakistan Saqib Nisar at national level.

PDM leadership said that the audio clip was part of the conspiracies to
remove elected prime ministers of the country.

It is pertinent to mention, PDM would start a mass contact campaign
under which a series of protests, wheel jam strikes and protest marches
from one province to another would be held.

The joint session of the Parliament on November 17 passed important
bills including the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs), the Second
Election Amendment Bill 2021.

The bills related to the use of EVMs and Second Election Amendment Bill
2021 were presented by Adviser to Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan in
the joint session of the Parliament.

The bills were passed with the majority.

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