ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is determined to hold its December 13 public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore despite the alleged attempt by the Punjab government to flood parts of the lawn and strict enforcement of 'smart lockdown' in areas close to the venue amid Covid-19 pandemic.
Talking to Business Recorder, senior PDM leader Owais Noorani said the scheduled public rally on December 13 would be held at Minar-e-Pakistan, saying that trying to flood the lawn encircling the Minar will not prevent the PDM from holding its planned public meeting.
Noorani, head of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP-Noorani), maintained that the government was using various other pressure tactics including arrests of the opposition workers, and arrest of those providing chairs, tents and sound system to the PDM rally.
"We understand that they would not be able to stop us from holding the rally and the PDM has decided that the public meeting would take place at the same venue - Minar-e-Pakistan - despite all these tactics," he added.
In 1970, then Governor of West Pakistan, Nawab Amir Muhammad Khan of Kalabagh, disrupted a planned public rally of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto at Nasir Bagh, Lahore. As Bhutto touched the microphone the flooded ground and live electric wires reportedly thrown by the administration electrocuted him and he fell on the stage.
A rickshaw driver Roshan Ali picked him up and escaped. Bhutto was taken to the residence of Government College's principal and when he gained consciousness, Roshan Ali drove his leader to safety from the back gate of the College. However, Chairman Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Lahore, Yasir Gillani, in a video message he shared on his twitter account on December 9, rejected reports that the administration has flooded the lawns of Minar-e-Pakistan with a view to preventing the PDM's rally.
"I am sharing this video with an objective to show you that contrary to the propaganda, the entire Park area is dry and we have no such plans," he said, adding the PDM should reconsider its decision of holding the rally because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In what is being viewed as a related development, the provincial government has decided to enforce 'smart lockdown' in 45 areas of Lahore, including those close to the venue of PDM's rally. PDM sources said PTI government was taking every step to stop the opposition from holding the December 13 rally.
They further accused the government of arresting PDM supporters and registering cases against those engaged to provide arrangements for holding the rally and warning the caterers against extending their services to the PDM for its rallies.
Police on Wednesday arrested sound system provider DJ Butt on charges of possessing an illegal weapon and interference in official work. Butt has been providing a sound system to the rallies of the PML-N in Lahore and the party has also hired his services for the December 13 rally.
Mohammad Asif alias DJ Butt shot to fame by arranging sound system at PTI's 2014 sit-in protest against the then PML-N government. However, a court in Lahore granted bail to Butt on Thursday.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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