The APML has held four demonstrations in the town during the past two weeks, protesting against Pervez Musharraf’s ‘illegal detention’. PHOTO: NISAR ABBAS/EXPRESS
GILGIT: Since the arrest of former president General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf, his supporters in Skardu have escalated their campaigns in his favour.
The retired general faces three cases since he returned to Pakistan in March after four years of self-imposed exile.
Public sympathy for Musharraf has intensified in the town after Kacho Nisar, a die-hard supporter of Musharraf, suffered a heart attack out of grief and died after hearing the news of his arrest.
Musharraf’s party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), has held four demonstrations in the town during the past two weeks, protesting against his ‘illegal detention’ with another one held on Wednesday.
In an attempt to ban political meetings, the local administration has imposed Section 144.
“We know the government is trying to restrain us from holding rallies but we will do it anyway,” said Manzoor Yoltar, the chief organiser of AMPL, a day after the Peshawar High Court imposed a lifetime ban on Musharraf to contest elections.
The regional leaders of the APML have set May 4 as the next date for a public rally in the town.
The APML members criticised the judiciary, alleging it is biased against a leader whose tenure not only led Pakistan to prosperity but also led to development in Gilgit-Baltistan.
During Musharraf’s rule, the region witnessed mega-development projects, including the establishment of the Karakoram International University.
Fake cases have been registered against us for rallying in support for Musharraf, said Yoltar. He added Musharraf has thanked the regional leadership for their support during his detention.
While APML draws considerable public support in the region, Chief Minister Mehdi Shah, in a statement, ridiculed the rallies. “Whenever anyone holds a rally at Yadgar Chowk, people participate just for fun,” Shah said on Tuesday.
“Shah is in government and has all the resources at his disposal, but we can challenge that he cannot gather more than a hundred people for his rallies,” Yoltar said, adding the gathering APML organised was 10 metres away from the chief minister’s residence in Skardu.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 2nd, 2013.
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This is not the case in Skardu only. A massive rally was also witnessed in Chitral as well and seems the momentum will enhance manifold in the near future