PDM announces series of protests in next phase

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) announced a series of protest rallies in various cities of the country as part of the next phase of its anti-government campaign, beginning with a demonstration outside the office of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday (Jan 19).

The 11-party alliance held a meeting of its steering committee, chaired by Maulana Fazlur Rehman and attended by Maryam Nawaz on special invitation. The meeting also fine-tuned the arrangements for the protest outside the ECP and made some last-minutes changes in the schedule.

Addressing the media after the committee meeting, Fazl, the PDM president and the head of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), said that the meeting discussed the strategy for the demonstration in front of the ECP offices in Islamabad tomorrow (Tuesday).

“Tomorrow, the PDM leadership will protest in front of the Election Commission in connection with the foreign funding case,” Fazl told reporters. He added that the meeting also finalised the schedule for protests and rallies across the country in the next phase of the anti-government campaign.

According to the schedule of rallies announced by Fazl, the PDM will hold an ‘Israel Na-Manzoor’ [Israel not acceptable] rally in Karachi on Thursday (Jan 21). The next stop will be a public gathering at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi on February 5 on the occasion of Kashmir Day.

Other public rallies the PDM president announced would be held in Hyderabad in Sindh on February 9, Sialkot, Punjab, on February 13, Pishin, Balochistan, on February 16, Sargodha, Punjab, on February 23 and Khuzdar, Balochistan, on February 27.

But on Tuesday, Fazl said that the PDM would gather outside the ECP offices to get the verdict in the foreign funding case against the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which is pending since 2014. He added the PDM would present a memorandum to the ECP.

“The main accused in this foreign funding case is [Prime Minister] Imran Khan Niazi. This money was used to rig 2018 election,” Fazl alleged. “We will demand of the Election Commission that it promptly pronounce its verdict on the criminals, who already have confessed.”

Fazl accused Prime Minister Imran of creating political instability in the country by taking “mother of all NROs”. The term NRO refers to the political amnesty granted by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf through now-defunct National Reconciliation Ordinance in 2007.

“The delay [in announcing the verdict by the ECP] raises doubts,” Fazl told reporters. “A decision against an elected prime minister [Nawaz Sharif] was announced in six months but the case against a selected prime minister is pending for six years. Why is this decision being delayed?” he claimed.

“We will go to the Election Commission tomorrow to demand the decision in PTI funding case,” he said. Responding to question, Fazl said: “We are democratic people, we are not going to storm [the ECP office]. We are protesting within democratic norms, the Constitution and the law.”

Detailing the programmes of Tuesday’s protest, Fazl said that several opposition rallies would converge on the Kashmir Chowk at 1 O’Clock in the afternoon, where the alliance leadership would join the protesters.

Speaking on the occasion, Maryam Nawaz, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President, told reporters that the party was struggling to end institutions’ interference in politics. Responding to a question, she said that Imran was just a “pawn in the game”.

Last-minute changes

Earlier, according to sources, the PDM steering committee made some changes in the rally’s schedule. All the workers had been directed to gather in Kashmir Chowk, from where the alliance leadership would proceed towards the ECP.

According to the new plan, Maryam Nawaz will reach Serena Chowk. Fazl will also go to Serena Chowk, instead of Motorway Chowk. The meeting was also briefed on the relevant legal matters. It was suggested that the PDM could move the Supreme Court to seek speedy decision in the case.

Govt allows protest

The PDM protest will be held in Islamabad’s Red Zone, which houses important government buildings, including the Prime Minister's House and the Supreme Court. Interior minister Sheikh Rashid said that it was for the first time that a protest had been allowed inside the Red Zone.

Addressing a news conference at the Interior Ministry, Rashid said that the PDM would be given a free hand to protest but added that security arrangements would be made by the government. He warned that action would be taken if someone tried to take into his hands.

“Hopefully, the PDM will show responsibility,” the minister said. “The Election Commission is a constitutional body and its harassment cannot be allowed,” he added. He also warned the opposition alliance not to bring madrassa students to the protest.