The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on December 6 announced holding an “inflation march” against the incumbent government in Islamabad on March 23. The leadership of the opposition parties’ alliance is also active in the parliament to bring a no-trust motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and is contacting other political parties in this regard. This apparently shows confusion on part of the PDM as on the one hand it wants to bring down the government with street power while on the other hand it is intending to follow the constitutional course to dislodge the PTI government. Bol News asks experts as to whether or not the PDM will actually march on Islamabad to oust the Imran Khan government and whether such moves are productive.

Sajjad Mir

Senior Journalist and Analyst

The term long march is taken from Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong who had first launched a long march across China from 1934 to 1936. Here in Pakistan we usually take long march and Dharna (sit-in) mode of protests with target to dislodge the sitting government.

Such types of protests are very much democratic in nature till the time they remain peaceful. While there are other ways to dislodge government as well like bringing no-trust move against the government in the Parliament.

Political parties only go for such extreme steps like long march when things turned against the government and right now PTI government is really in hot waters because price-hike, inflation and joblessness are at unprecedented level and the ground realities are conducive for such a protest against the government.

The situation is so bad that even Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that the next three months are crucial for his government and now we have to see which option will be opted for the ouster of the government by the opposition parties—whether they will go for holding long march and protest against the government or they will go for bringing in-house change by bringing no-trust move against the government.

There are constitutional ways of removing government or making it comply with the demands of the opposition parties, but when the political parties, other state institutions including establishment and judiciary are not performing their duties aptly and Parliament become ineffective and subjugated at the hands of the ruling party the political forces will go for bringing out people on roads to pressurize the government to accept their demands.

The long march and sit-in normally remain peaceful till the time the force is used against them and when it turn violent obviously it would turn harmful for the democracy and democratic institutions.

Imtiaz Gul

Senior Analyst

Holding protest demonstrations and bringing out rallies and long march are basic right of the people enshrined in the constitution.

First of all we have to see the purpose behind launching of long march. Either, it can be for dislodging of the incumbent government and the main purpose of holding long march is mobilization of people for a particular cause or political parties used to hold long march and demonstrations to keep their voters and supporters intact with the party and to woo new voters and supporters.

The long march and protests are democratic in nature till the time it remains peaceful and the moment it turns violent it loses its legitimacy so political parties holding protests and bringing out long march must strictly direct their voters and supporters to remain peaceful and not take law in hand.

The chances of any major change as a result of the upcoming Pakistan People’s Party long march, scheduled for Feb. 27, are minimal and all what PPP can achieve from it is to keep its voters and supporters intact with the party.

If history is any guide there are little chances of opposition parties coming on same-page against the government as be it Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam(Fazl) or any other party no one will allow the others to infringe upon its vote bank, so the chances of other political parties joining hands with PPP in their long march are remote as the way they had grinded their axes in the past they will continue to do so in future as well.

I think the PPP proposed long march will not bring any major impact on the political landscape of the country as other opposition parties are unlikely join it because Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has given its own date of long march.

Ehtashamul Haq

Senior Analyst and TV Anchor

Pakistan People’s Party proposed long march on Feb. 27 will be no threat to the government and PPP leadership is doing all this only to keep it relevant in the national politics. It is also not clear whether the PPP would stage sit-in in Federal Capital on conclusion of their long march or they would disperse after addressing participants of the march on culmination of their protest.

Actually opposition parties are not clear on what to do. On one hand they are planning bringing no-trust against the ruling PTI while on the other the opposition parties are toeing their own agenda to keep their voters and supporters intact with them and to exert more pressure on government for their benefit.

All what Pakistan People’s Party is trying is to fortify their hold on Sindh and all their moves are aimed at strengthening their position so that in next elections they could keep their position in Sindh intact.

After performing well in the first phase of local bodies elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa now Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Islam(Fazl) leadership is eying on the next phase of these elections which are now rescheduled in March. Earlier these elections were to be held on January 19 but due to extreme weather conditions these are rescheduled in March. So Moulana Fazlur Rehman got a genuine reason to defer his proposed long march and will most likely do so.

On the other hand Pakistan Muslim League(Nawaz) is in search of some backdoor deal with Establishment to get into power corridor but Establishment seemed little flexible toward them for the foul language former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz has been using against the Establishment since Mian Nawaz Sharif’s ouster from power.

It was in this backdrop that DG ISPR had come out categorical when some PML-N leaders had given tacit impression of deal with Establishment and asked that those talking about deal should be asked to give details of the deal and also tell the people of Pakistan who is dealing with whom.

Naeemullah Khan

Assistant Professor CUST

Holding of protests and bringing out long march and other such activities, though part of democratic culture, but in countries like ours where such protests usually turn violent in no way supportive to the political culture and democratic order.

So in my view instead of holding such protests the political parties should resolve their issues on the platform of the Parliament. Pakistan People’s Party should avoid bringing out long march as when the people come on roads it will become difficult to control them and keep them peaceful.

The recent protest march of a banned outfit Tehreek-i-Labbak Pakistan (TLP) was before us where besides loss of seven lives including three police officials and injury to several dozen people the national economy had suffered a loss of billions of rupees due to closure of main roads in the Punjab.

Resultantly, the writ of the political government was compromised as not only the cases against the TLP activists were withdrawn but the banned outfit was allowed to function as political party.

About the proposed long march of PPP even the central party leaders are not clear and its seemed as if it is just a political move to keep the party relevant in the system because the party has also initiated a move to bring no-trust against the government in National Assembly though PPP has not requisite number to bring down the government and all what they are doing is to keep their voters and supporters intact with the party.

The chances of PML-N or any other party joining the long march are minimal as PDM has also given the date of long march on March 23 but in his recent statements JUI-F chief seemed wavering on it as the second phase of local bodies elections in Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa are rescheduled in March and after coming out victorious in the first phase Moulana Fazlur Rehman will not miss this opportunity to grab more power at basic tier of governance in the province.