Despite Imran khan govt warning, Pak opposition vows to hold Lahore rally
Dec 07, 2020
Islamabad [Pakistan], December 7 : Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday vowed to go ahead with an anti-government rally in Lahore despite the Prime Minister Imran Khan's government warning of legal action.
This was announced in a statement by PDM's constituents parties a day after they met in Islamabad o review arrangements for the Lahore rally and to finalise a strategy for the next phase of its anti-government campaign, Dawn reported.
The opposition alliance 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.
Addressing today's press conference in Lahore, PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira said the government had changed its tactics to try and stop the opposition from holding the rally on December 13.
"The premier doesn't realise that these things don't stop rallies. Martial law used much harsher tactics but rallies and movements did not stop," he said
He added that 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," he said, adding that 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.
He added that the PDM had reviewed the situation and formed committees to prepare for the upcoming rally in Lahore. "The PDM leadership has decided that the Dec 13 jalsa will take place," he said.
PML-N's Rana Sanaullah said heads of the constituent parties will meet tomorrow and will visit the site of the rally and deliberate over the preparations.
"Hundreds of thousands of workers will participate in the Lahore rally. This requires complete arrangements. They cannot be addressed without a proper sound system," he said
In an interview with a private TV channel on Saturday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said the government would not grant permission to the opposition parties to hold their public meeting, but at the same time declared that it would not stop them from doing so.
Pakistan's Opposition leader Fazlur Rehman has warned that they will retaliate if the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government uses force to disrupt the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) Lahore rally.
Addressing the late Sheikhul Hadith Maulana Amanullah Conference in Sarai Naurang, Lakki Marwat, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader blamed "selected rulers" for destroying the country's economy, Geo News reported.