ISLAMABAD, DEC 8 – Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced on Tuesday that all opposition lawmakers will submit their resignations to their respective party heads by December 31.

Rehman made the announcement at a press conference in Islamabad after the PDM leadership held a meeting to decide its future strategy. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz were joined by the JUI-F chief as he addressed the media.

“By December 31, opposition lawmakers from provincial and national assemblies will hand in their resignations to their respective party heads.”

He said that the steering committee will meet tomorrow to decide the schedule for further rallies and demonstrations. The meeting will also decide the time and the date for the long march towards Islamabad, he said.

The PDM chief said that former premier Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari also participated in the meeting during which all the participants expressed the commitment towards holding the next rally in Lahore on December 13.

Responding to reports about Prime Minister Imran Khan calling for a national dialogue, Rehman said the PDM had rejected his offer. “He is not worthy of dialogue.”

He said that the decisions were taken “unanimously”, adding that the opposition will not disappoint the people of the country. “The Lahore rally will be historic and it will be the final nail [in the coffin] for the government.”