The alliance of opposition parties has decided to hold its first public rally in Gujranwala on October 16, senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal announced on Monday after a meeting of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) steering committee.
The PDM leaders also announced a new schedule for anti-govt rallies across the country after differences emerged among the main political parties on the dates announced earlier.
The PPP had earlier objected to an October 18 rally in Quetta, saying that it commemorated the date for the Karsaz bombing incident in 2007 that had targeted slain party leader Benazir Bhutto. Responding to the objection, the PDM decided to join the PPP for its Karachi rally and postpone the Quetta rally to October 25.
Iqbal also said that the opposition parties will hold “massive gatherings” subsequently in Peshawar and Multan on November 22 and 30, respectively.
“Finally, a massive gathering will be held in Lahore on December 13, after which this fake setup will not be able to stand on its feet and the nation will announce that they want the rule of Constitution and law in the country,” Iqbal said.
Flanked by Shahid Khaqan Abbasi – who, it was announced, has been appointed the PDM’s secretary-general – and other senior opposition leaders, Iqbal said the participants of the meeting had also condemned the first information report (FIR) lodged against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and other PML-N leaders.
The PML-N leader alleged that the government has damaged the Kashmir cause by implicating Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider in the FIR.
Meanwhile the joint opposition on Monday submitted a requisition in the National Assembly Secretariat seeking to summon National Assembly session to discuss issues of national importance.
The joint opposition has requisitioned the NA session to discuss the arrest of leader of opposition Shehbaz Sharif, rape cases and hike in prices, sources said.
