LAHORE: Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) head Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz will leave Lahore on Friday for the rally in Gujranwala leading their workers separately.

The PML-N has asked the party wings to set up reception camps for the rally to be led by Maryam from Lahore.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will also reach Gujranwala with a rally starting from Lalamusa, the hometown of Qamar Zaman Kaira, sources in the PPP said.

Opposition leaders alleged that their workers and supporters have been arrested in Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin and other districts. A case was registered for violating the coronavirus SOPs as PPP Central Punjab President Qamar Zaman Kaira and a large number of party workers attended a workers’ convention. In a bid to sabotage the rally planned by PDM, police in Gujranwala have started using traditional tactics and confiscating containers to block the city, a PML-N leader said. On the other hand, the district administration is removing the banners from around the city including dozens of panaflex containing the image of PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz. As the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) officials were removing the rally banners, PML-N MPA Taufiq Butt and other local party leaders reached the spot and stopping them from doing so. They are afraid of Maryam Nawaz’s picture, Butt said, and added that the whole city would welcome Maryam. The entire Gujranwala would be a rally venue on October 16, he remarked.

In an attempt to seal Lahore, the police have already started confiscating containers with the bus stations told not to provide any vehicles for the rally, the PML-N leaders alleged.

The sources claimed that police in Lahore may seal Jati Umra, the residence of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020