LAHORE: The PPP claims that its long march will make the nine-party opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) redundant.

“The PDM remained a vibrant platform until the PPP, the founder of the alliance, was part of it. After the [successful completion of the] Awami march, there will be no need for the PDM,” Punjab PPP general-secretary Syed Hassan Murtaza said without elaborating further.

He was talking to the media at a reception hosted by the party’s social media cell in charge Syed Ali Shah here on Tuesday.

The PPP long march will arrive in Islamabad on March 8 after passing through 37 cities and towns on the route.

Mr Murtaza said they would welcome the PML-N to the march if the party decided to show solidarity with the participants of the march would be in Lahore.

He said the PPP chairman would speak to a public meeting at Nasser Bagh on the Lower Mall on March 6.

He said that the venue for the public meeting was final though the local administration refused to give permission for it and pressed them to shift their power show to Minar-i-Pakistan lawns now called Greater Iqbal Park.

“Minar-i-Pakistan is the most appropriate place for such a gathering,” he quoted Lahore Commissioner retired Captain Muhammad Usman as suggesting.

“But, we requested the authorities to finalise security arrangements at Nasser Bagh for the meeting.”

The PPP leader condemned the Parks and Horticulture Authority for allegedly removing party flags and hoardings erected along various city roads to welcome the marchers.

He said that the long march would bring new hope for the poor people of the country and would determine the country’s future, adding that it was Bilawal’s decision that the party should start a mass campaign against the anti-people government.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2022