Is PDM heading towards a breakdown? A detailed and critical analysis of the sessions, meetings and rallies by the opposition parties’ leaders of the newly formed Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leads to the conclusion that the alliance negated its core agenda adopted at the very outset of its launch, or adopted during their own terms of government. The creation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the charges against Asif Ali Zardari and blaming each other are a few examples.
Further dents are visibly appearing as PTM’s Mohsin Dawar has announced that he is not affiliated with the PDM, because he has continuously been ignored. Whereas Gen (retd) Abdul Baldir and former Chief Minister of Balochistan Sanaullah Zehri have already left the alliance. It is now clear that the PML-N leadership, despite an opportunity arising out of the sad demise of Nawaz Sharif’s mother, is not returning to Pakistan; this must have caused a major psychological and moral dent to the PML-N Quaid in particular and the PDM in general.
Likewise, Bilawal Bhutto has contracted coronavirus, right at the time when his sister was going to wed and he has just come back from a busy election campaign in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Fazlur Rehman of JUI, Zardari of PPP, Maryam Nawaz of PML-N, Asfandyar of ANP, Mehmood Achakzai of PKMAP and six other opposition parties forming the PDM are the most seasoned and experienced politicians of our country. But together, they have made a serious political blunder by continuously holding public gatherings at the cost of lives of the general public amid the vast and wide spread of deadly coronavirus. This is something which they shouldn’t have insisted upon only in defiance of the government. Somebody in the PDM should have told them that coronavirus is neither political nor does it relate to PTI. It is a threat to everybody’s life. It attacks lethally at gatherings and inflicts heavy casualties like it did in Italy and Iran. Same has happened with Bilawal Bhutto, and one wishes that he may recover soon and become healthy.
The second wave of coronavirus is spreading at an intense pace due to which more than 50 deaths are being recorded daily, averagely. It may take more than six months to receive the vaccine and the only solution left is the safety measures which the PDM is adamantly ignoring. Yes, they may not accept it because it’s against their political ego, but they must kindly understand that common sense directly relates to the lives of innocent people. If PDM continues doing this, and the cases of coronavirus increase manifold, the public sentiment will vote against them, which will obviously be a political death for PDM.
Opposition parties have accepted Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s leadership for a political convenience, they are cashing in on Fazlur Rehman’s grievances as well sentiments against the government. Fazlur Rehman also knows this—so there stays a lack of trust in between everyone.
Whatever the fate may be of the PDM, it is yet to be seen but it is in the interest of the general public that the opposition parties must stop holding rallies and public gatherings in order to save the lives of their leaders and followers. The opposition parties are really pulling crowds, but at the risk of their lives. If one man catches the coronavirus from a public gathering, he will spread it not only in his family or office or mosque, but everywhere, multiplying the coronavirus positive cases. If this continues, the people would reject PDM and the opposition may head towards an obvious breakdown.