News Desk
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders have said that they will go ahead with the Lahore public meeting scheduled for December 13th despite the government warning of legal action.
According to Dawn, the statement comes a day before heads of PDM’s constituent parties meet in Islamabad to review arrangements for the Lahore rally and to finalise a strategy for the next phase of its anti-government campaign.
PDM has decided to move forward with the Lahore rally despite the government citing concerns about the risk of Covid-19 spreading and warning of legal action.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Qamar Zaman Kaira while addressing press conference in Lahore, has said that the government had changed its tactics to try and stop the opposition from holding the rally.
“The Prime Minister Imran Khan doesn’t realise that these things don’t stop rallies. Martial law used much harsher tactics but rallies and movements did not stop. The people of Pakistan were fed up with the government and the country’s state of affairs. The time has come for them to go. The government was fascist. There used to be some back and forth in politics, but the mud-slinging and culture of swearing that they [government] have brought during their tenure has never been seen before,” he said.
Qamar Zaman Kaira further stated that the PDM had reviewed the situation and formed committees to prepare for the upcoming rally in Lahore.
“PDM leadership has decided that the 13th December jalsa will take place,” he added.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, Rana Sanaullah has said on the occasion that heads of the constituent parties will meet tomorrow and will visit the site of the rally and deliberate over the preparations. He said that hundreds of thousands of workers will participate in the Lahore rally and this requires complete arrangements.
Rana Sanaullah has said that it was the job of the Lahore deputy commissioner to talk about administrative measures, not the premier’s.
“Prime Minister Imran Khan is saying that he will not allow arrangements for chairs and lights and will not allow a stage to be set up. He will not stop us from holding the rally. They tried to stop us in Multan, but we still held the rally. When the government uses such tactics then the number of people that gather doesn’t matter. What matters is whether the rally was held or not,” he added.
