Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) Chairman Fazlur Rehman said on Thursday the alliance of 11 opposition parties would march on Islamabad on March 26. 

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the heads of PDM member parties in Islamabad on Thursday evening, Fazl said that opposition parties would contest the upcoming Senate elections jointly; they would not field candidates against each other. He said the PDM had rejected the government’s plans to amend the constitution to hold Senate elections through show of hand instead of secret ballot. He said that opposition parties believed in a comprehensive package of reforms. He criticised the government for giving development funds to PTI lawmakers ahead of the Senate elections and called it an attempt to influence the Senate elections. 

Fazl said the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) wanted the Senate elections to be held through show of hand and this showed the ruling party did not trust even its own lawmakers. He said the PDM would stand by people of the country against price hike and the illegitimate rulers. He rejected the Broadsheet Inquiry Commission headed by Justice (R) Sheikh Azmat Saeed and said it was an attempt to hide the ruling party’s corruption. He said these development funds were being given to lawmakers as bribe. 

Also, the PDM chairman said that opposition parties would take part in the protest of government employees who were seeking better salaries and other benefits. Answering a question from a reporter, Fazl said he never said the opposition would march on Rawalpindi; he had just said that opposition parties would decide which city to march on.