Sparks fly as PPP gears up for rally

Tensions heighten as the opposition prepares for its Pakistan Democratic Movement rallies this week. After Gujranwala tomorrow (Friday), the second PDM rally is to be held this Sunday at Bagh-e-Jinnah where hosted by the Pakistan Peoples Party opposition leaders will pay tribute to the martyrs of October 18 bombings in Karachi in 2007.

Preparations for the rally are in swing with PPP leaders Saeed Ghani, Waqar Mehdi, Javed Naguri, Najmi Alam, Sardar Khan, Asif Khan and other party members present at the site on Wednesday.

Lightening being installed and chairs set up. SP Jamshed Zubair Sheikh, senior police officers and other officials also visited the grounds.

Security arrangements for the stage and its surrounding area in the hall have been handed over to the Special Security Unit (SSU) and their senior officers are handling the charge, said Ghani, who is also the education and labour minister in the PPP-led Sindh government.

Sheikh briefed Ghani on security for the rally, traffic plan and other arrangements.

The traffic flow should not be affected because of the rally, said Ghani issuing directives.

Around 50,000 chairs are being installed and the area in front of the stage is to be reserved for women. Speakers and a sound system is being installed in the grounds and a separate stage is being set up for the media.

Mehdi gave directives for routes to be identified for participant entry points particularly for women, and separate paths in the hall to facilitate leaders of all parties and the media.

Verbal sparring

As the rallies draw closer the vitriol between the ruling party in the Centre, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and the opposition parties has increased.

Addressing a press conference at Insaf House on Wednesday, PTI leader Firdous Shamim Naqvi claimed that the opposition is confused. He was flanked by other leaders and lawmakers of the party.

He reiterated the Centre’s stance that the opposition’s movement is only fueled by their desire to hide their corruption and dubbed it a rented rally.

Naqvi claimed that the provision of commodities came under the provincial government under the 18th Amendment and held the PPP-led provincial government responsible for high wheat prices, which are skyrocketing across the country.

According to Naqvi, the provincial department is not working properly and challenged Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Law Murtaza Wahab to indicate where the Constitution states the province is not responsible for controlling prices.

“It is the job of deputy commissioners, assistant commissioner and price control department if profiteering is being done anywhere,” said the PTI leader.

The lawmaker held Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah responsible and accused the provincial government of hoarding.

Censuring the CM for his decision to enforce a lockdown in Sindh as the pandemic hit, before it was imposed nationwide, Naqvi criticised Shah for now making arrangements for a protest rally.

Lauding the premier’s Ehsaas relief programme during the lockdown, Naqvi expressed surety that no matter what tactic the opposition uses it can’t harm Prime Minister Imran Khan or the Central government.

Meanwhile, addressing a conference at Bilawal House PPP Central Information Secretary Nafisa Shah, flanked by Palwasha Khan and Senator Sassi Palejo, said that the prime minister’s words and actions are contradictory.

Imran used to say that he would resign if the public came out against him, said Nafisa Shah, adding that he should resign now that the whole nation is protesting against him.

She accused the federal government of using cheap tactics and said that despite Covid-19 cases decreasing PPP’s Gujranwala president was booked on charges of violating coronavirus SOPs.

Even traders have come forward against the Tiger Force, said the PPP lawmaker vowing that her party would approach the courts against the force.

She accused the premier of allowing the construction industry and shopping malls to open to benefit his supporters and claimed that now the premier’s own people were calling him a thief. Individuals involved in sugar theft of over Rs2.5 billion were allowed to flee the country, she said.

“A public court is about to reach the PM House and PM Khan would have to answer before it,” said Nafisa insisting that the people won’t stop now.

The PDM’s issue is with those involved in conspiracies and not the army, said Nafisa.

She was flanked by PPP leader Palwasha Khan who claimed that the state injustice has already begun in Punjab but it won’t affect the oppositions’ movement.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2020