Pakistan Democratic Movement

On 20 September 2020, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the center-left Pakistan Peoples Party, hosted an “all parties conference” at the Islamabad Marriott Hotel to form a grand political alliance and plan strategy for replacing the PTI government. Fazal-ur-Rehman, a harsh critic of military establishment, read out the 26-point resolution adopted by the attendees.[14][15]

On 16 October 2020, PDM held its first political gathering in Gujranwala.[16] Protests organised by the PDM in October 2020 drew over 50,000 people.[17] The government has remained critical and dismissive of the rallies.[18] The PDM planned to hold a "long march" in June 2021,[19] despite objections of large gatherings by health experts, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan.

PDM leadership onstage at its inaugural gathering in Gujranwala on 16 October 2020

In December 2020, due to disagreements with Fazl-ur-Rehman's leadership, Muhammad Khan Sherani and other senior members of the JUI broke away and formed their own political party called the Jamiat-Ulema-i-Islam Pakistan, claiming that Fazl had personalized the party and used it for his own needs, dismissing the needs of the party itself.[20]

In April 2021, the Pakistan Democratic Movement issued show-cause notices to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Awami National Party (ANP).[21] Later on, the ANP withdrew from the PDM, saying that the movement was "hijacked" by some parties.[22] After a show-cause notice was issued to the PPP, it resigned from the Pakistan Democratic Movement and gave up all offices in the movement along with the ANP.[23][24]

The major success of PDM came after reportedly 20 plus members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf appeared on the surface in Sindh house on March 17, 2022. [25] Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf claimed that these MNAs are bribed and have violated article. [26] However, PDM refused these claimed and termed decision of dissent members as their own choice. Nevertheless, dissent members allowed PDM to negotiate with government-allied parties Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan and Balochistan Awami Party proving to them that the government has gone weak and PDM already has a reasonable number to win the no-confidence motion. Ahead of the vote motion Balochistan Awami Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan joined the opposition alliance on 29 and 30 March respectively. [27] [28] As a result of opposition alliance won the vote of no confidence with 174 votes without using dissent members and saving article 63(A) against them. [29] The tenure of Imran Khan as prime minister ended on 9 April, 2022, while Shehbaz Sharif was elected as prime minister of Pakistan by the national assembly of Pakistan. [30]

PDM Gujranwala Maryam

PDM Multan Asifa Bhutto-Zardari