LAHORE: As the opposition’s preparations for the first public show of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) in Gujranwala on Oct 16 are in full swing, the PML-N has warned the PTI government of creating any hurdles in it.

PML-N leaders Pervaiz Rashid, Rana Sanaullah, Marriyum Auranzeb and Attaullah Tarar held separate meetings on Saturday with the office-bearers, lawmakers and workers from Gujranwala and reviewed preparations for the rally.

“The PDM will hold the rally in Gujranwala on Oct 16 at any cost. The government is trying to stop it. But we want to tell ‘scared’ Prime Minister Imran Khan that the rally will be held and stop it if ‘you’ can,” PML-N information secretary Marriyum Auranzeb said.

She said the people were not scared of Imran Khan’s threats and were ready to go to jail for a bigger cause. She said the Gujranwala rally would herald respect for the ballot, supremacy of the parliament and rule of law and constitution.

She further said PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz would participate in all PDM rallies.

Meanwhile, PPP Punjab president Qamar Zaman Kaira said party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari would join the Gujranwala rally.

“The PDM Gujranwala rally will be a historic one and all PDM leaders including Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari will address it,” Mr Kaira said, adding the PDM was trying to end interference of state institutions in politics.

“If the interference of the institutions in politics ends this PTI government will be in tatters,” he said.

He asked PM Khan to refrain from politicising the institutions and stop ‘hiding behind the establishment’.

Kaira said the PDM was united in its cause and its struggle would succeed.

Regarding PPP’s plan to resign from the parliament, Kaira said: “It will use the option of resignation from the parliament at the appropriate time. Our target is to send this ‘incompetent’ government packing.”

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has urged the opposition to be responsible and postpone rallies for three months amid fears of a second Covid-19 wave in the country.

“I believe political parties should give proof of responsibility and postpone rallies and processions for the next three months. The opposition should also postpone its movement till next year and respect life,” he said in tweet.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2020