Stage set for PDM power show in Lahore today

LAHORE: On Sunday (today), the 11-party opposition coalition, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), is all geared towards putting up its much-hyped “power show” here at Minar-i-Pakistan, the last in its first process of anti-government rallies that started three months ago.

The PDM is expected to declare at this public meeting the “decisive phase” of its fight against the government-led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

A senior PML-N leader told Dawn that a long march on Islamabad and resignations from the national and provincial assemblies will begin the next step of his battle in January in which the PDM had scheduled 16 more rallies around the country before the final showdown.

“We expect some behind-the-scenes’ growth to take place in January before the PDM goes on a long march,” he said.

If the PTI government would not buckle to the pressure exerted by the opposition coalition, the PDM has announced a long march in February.

However at the moment, there seems to be no consensus on resignations from the national and provincial assemblies since the PPP is still hesitant to say goodbye to the government of Sindh.

For the time being this matter has been postponed and the PDM is focusing on protest rallies.

In the other hand, the government seems to have altered its plan for addressing Sunday’s rally at the last minute. The government said it would not prohibit people from attending the rally from coming from other cities, offering the opposition parties a chance to match Imran Khan’s public meeting at the same venue in Oct 2011.

The PML-N voiced its reservations about the motives of the government to allow the PDM the free hand to hold a public meeting. “On Sunday morning, it will be clear whether the PTI government will allow our caravans to reach Lahore from other parts of the world. We have information at this time that police have been put on alert and containers installed at various locations, including motorways,’ Samiullah Khan, a PML-N lawmaker, told Dawn.

He said they would hold a sit-in outside the town if the government barred PDM employees from entering Lahore.

“Tomorrow’s power show will be historic as far as our preparations are concerned, setting a new record in terms of the number of participants,” Mr Khan said.

This is the first time the PML-N has held a public meeting in Minar-i-Pakistan in the recent history of the region, the first rally at this venue for de facto PML-N President Maryam Nawaz.

She had previously arranged corner meetings to mobilise the party members in the 14 constituencies of Lahore. She had pleaded with the people on Sunday to come out of their homes and enter Minar-i-Pakistan so that the PDM could succeed in sending the government home.

Similarly, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will make his first appearance at a political meeting in Minar-i-Pakistan. Going there will revive the memory of the historic public meeting of his mother, Benazir Bhutto, in 1986 at Minar-i-Pakistan.

On Saturday, both PML-N and PPP officials, Dharti News, highlighted the relevance of public meetings at Minar-i-Pakistan. “A PPP leader said, “Benazir Bhutto’s historical power show at the venue in 1986 is recalled even today.

And similarly, the successful 2011 public meeting of Imran Khan at Minar-i-Pakistan made him a prominent leader, he added.

“Minar-i-Sunday Pakistan’s rally is a matter of do or die for the PDM and particularly the PML-N. The anti-government movement would fizzle out in the event of failure to put up a major show in terms of the number of participants,” the PPP leader said and expressed the hope that on Sunday the PDM would be able to prove its mettle.

A fair number of PML-N staff reached Minar-i-Pakistan on Saturday, broke the locks on its main gate, positioned chairs and mounted lights on its floor. The place was also visited by several PML-N leaders and the preparations were monitored. On Saturday night, Maryam Nawaz also arrived there late to take a look at the arrangements.

As many as 3,000 Ansarul Islam volunteers, the JUI-F volunteer wing, will provide security coverage for the rally. For woman applicants, a distinct gate has been reserved.

“Meanwhile in light of “terror threat warnings” and the coronavirus situation, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar asked the PDM to delay its Minar-i-Pakistan rally. While talking to reporters, Mr. Buzdar said, “I ask the opposition to resolve issues through talks; to discuss the issues through dialogue and not by playing with people’s lives.”

He said the opposition should know that the current condition of Covid-19 in Lahore was very serious” and that the coronavirus positive incidence was more than 46 percent.

Basharat Raja, Minister of Provincial Law, said the government had granted the PDM permission to stage a rally in Minar-i-Pakistan, but “action will be taken against those who will take the law into their hands.”

Special Assistant to the CM on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan said in a tweet that there was a terror threat to the PDM protest, according to intelligence sources. In addition to collecting more than 300 participants, it is a violation of the basic operating procedures of Covid-19.

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Maryam Nawaz have released terror warning warnings to the Lahore police.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bhutto-Zardari, who is in Lahore, said that the plan for the second phase of the democratic movement against Imran Khan’s chosen government will be declared in Minar-i-Pakistan on Sunday. He called on the public meeting to be attended by every PPP worker in the region.

The PPP’s Jiyalas fought the tyranny of Gen Ayub Khan and Gen Ziaul Haq. They have been lashed, but have failed to give in. In the fight for independence, they lost their lives. They know how dictators should fight. Jiyala’s blood has kept independence in this country alive. They know how to begin and finish a long march, they know how to plan train marches, and they know how to get rid of tyrants,’ he said.

Mr. Bhutto-Zardari said that from the PDM forum, the PPP was fighting for democracy and this would be a decisive battle for democracy in the world. “In Pakistan, we will restore true democracy. We like to see people vote on the country’s economic strategy and other policies. I want people to assess their own destiny.

After the dislocation of this puppet and appointed regime, we will create a people’s government. We will form a government that will fulfil Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s promises,’ he added.

PMLN Information Secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb, speaking to reporters in Minar-i-Pakistan, said No matter what the imposed regime of the chosen PM Khan does the public meeting on Sunday will take place as soon as possible.”

She said there was no need for the people of Pakistan to think about this regime’s fascist methods, since the PDM will just relax now after sending home the sugar and wheat thieves.