PDM chief promises to hold rally, calls arrests of party workers act of "state terrorism"
Nov 29, 2020
Multan [PDM], November 29 : While Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government is hell-bent on stopping the November 30 rally, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has vowed to hold the rally.
Geo News quoted Rehman as saying at a press conference that the recent arrests of the Opposition party workers is "state terrorism".
"Our political workers are being arrested from Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan," he told reporters.
"We wanted the movement to go smoothly, but due to the government's stupidity, it will now speed up," he said.
A day ahead of the rally, more than 30 Opposition workers including PPP leader Ali Qasim Gilani were arrested.
"The PDM will hold the rally tomorrow at the same venue at all cost and all the leaders would reach the venue despite government threats of legal action," the PDM chief said.
He further said that the alliance has been formed by the Opposition parties to counter the PTI-led (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) government's action against them, Geo News reported.
"Every section of the country is upset and worried today...We cannot be intimidated," he said while adding "This is state terrorism."
The PDM chief said that the lawlessness in the country will not be accepted and if the rally on November 30 is stopped then rallies will be held in "every single district of Pakistan".
"We are not ready to accept the lawlessness in the country and, if they try to stop our rally, the flood of our people will sweep them away. If they do not let us hold our rally, then a rally will be held in every single district of Pakistan. If our workers and participants cannot reach the rally, we will fill up the jails," he said.
"They have started a war and now all our options are open; we are ready to fight in any case. We will reach Islamabad soon and put the government in its place," Fazlur Rehman added.
This comes as Imran Khan has criticised the PDM for holding rallies and jalsas amid a worsening coronavirus situation in the country and the Opposition parties' bid to save what he termed was "looted wealth and corruption", The News International reported.
Citing sources, ARY News reported Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar of holding a meeting of senior ministers and bureaucrats to devise a strategy regarding the PDM public gathering on November 30, where it was decided against allowing the opposition parties to hold the event.