PDM gears up for protest outside ECP office

The PDM steering committee will meet at JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence today (Monday) to discuss the strategy for its protest in front of the ECP office scheduled for January 19 and review the arrangements for the purpose.

The huddle will also discuss the date for long march towards Islamabad and formulate a strategy in this regard.

The meeting will be attended by PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal and PPP’s Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.

The PDM had given an ultimatum to Prime Minister Imran Khan to resign by January 31 or they would lead a long march towards Islamabad in a bid to oust his government.

The party sources had revealed that Bilawal might not participate in the January 19 protest and instead a delegation of the PPP would be there. They noted that the PPP chairman would visit Umer Kot on the day of protest and will then attend the PDM's rally planned for Sargodha on January 23.

On January 19, police personnel will be deployed near the venue of protest and remain on alert to avoid any untoward situation.

PPP had not convened any meeting at the city, district or tehsil level to discuss the protest while its Rawalpindi office also remained closed.

It was said that the PPP also did not give a call to its workers on the grass-root level to participate in the protest.

On the other hand, the PML-N had been active in Rawalpindi with its leaders Rana Sanaullah, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Sajjad Khan, Malik Abrar and Sardar Naseem Khan campaigning for the purpose.

All the PML-N workers have been advised to gather at Allama Iqbal Park at 10 in the morning on Tuesday where Maryam Nawaz will also reach and lead the rally towards the ECP.

PPP’s Iftekhar Chaudhry told The Express Tribune that his party workers will reach the ECP from Faizabad.