‘We’ve taken control of stadium’: PDM workers forcefully enter Multan rally venue

[MenInG]

MULTAN: Two days before the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) scheduled public gathering in Multan, a large number of charged workers of various parties part of the opposition alliance on Saturday went on rampage removing barriers and forcing their way into the venue, Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh.

The workers led by leaders of PDM constituent parties, including the PPP and PML-N, forcefully entered the venue by breaking the locks of three of the six stadium gates. They removed roadblocks erected around the venue by the authorities to keep the opposition alliance from holding its public meeting scheduled for November 30.

Taking to Twitter, Syed Ali Musa Gillani, the son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gillani, shared a picture of him holding aloft a wooden arrow symbol of the party at the venue with a caption: “We have taken control of the stadium. Stage is being set multan will welcome all the guests.”

Kasim Gilani, another son of the PPP leader, tweeted: “Workers of @MediaCellPPP and PDM have set up a welcome camp at qila kohna Qasim bagh stadium. PDM provincial leadership to arrive here shortly.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has announced to hold a public meeting on November 30 in Multan.

Local administration has denied permission to the opposition parties for the meeting owing to increasing virus cases in the second wave of the COVID-19 in the country.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We have taken control of the stadium. Stage is being set multan will welcome all the guests. <a href="https://twitter.com/BBhuttoZardari?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBhuttoZardari</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AseefaBZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AseefaBZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryamNSharif?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaryamNSharif</a> <a href="https://t.co/4Ec2NXRGTt">pic.twitter.com/4Ec2NXRGTt</a></p>— Syed Ali Musa Gillani (@SyedMusaGillani) <a href="https://twitter.com/SyedMusaGillani/status/1332626493177012227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

Covid-19 ward Multan.

 

[saeedhk]

The government has zero writ. Punjab government should resign and let somebody who is competent to lead the province. Pakistan under them had become a true banana republic!

 

[last_knight]

The government has zero writ. Punjab government should resign and let somebody who is competent to lead the province. Pakistan under them had become a true banana republic!

As IK once described it as "Mind and Matter" ( I don't mind and they don't matter).
Govts don't start arresting and beating protestors. You can't say there was no writ of govt for 126 days of PTI sit-in.

 

[King-Misbah]

The government has zero writ. Punjab government should resign and let somebody who is competent to lead the province. Pakistan under them had become a true banana republic!

If govt used force then you would be the first one crying dictatorship.

 

[PakPremi]

If govt used force then you would be the first one crying dictatorship.

So true and no condemnation on those carrying out crimes and risking lives of potentially thousands of poor blind or greedy followers.

 

[saeedhk]

As IK once described it as "Mind and Matter" ( I don't mind and they don't matter).
Govts don't start arresting and beating protestors. You can't say there was no writ of govt for 126 days of PTI sit-in.

He is an expert at bluffing. In fact, he is getting sleepless nights due to opposition. He keeps on saying if the opposition does this, we will do this but he never does anything. A meek guy with a jelly spine.

 

[El Generico]

He is an expert at bluffing. In fact, he is getting sleepless nights due to opposition. He keeps on saying if the opposition does this, we will do this but he never does anything. A meek guy with a jelly spine.

What do you want him to do? Arrest the opposition so people can start crying about how he is a dictator?

The opposition is only exposing themselves by risking people’s lives for these pointless rallies during a pandemic. If anything this works in IK’s favour cause rational Pakistanis can now see how little their health matters to PML-N and PPP

 

[saeedhk]

What do you want him to do? Arrest the opposition so people can start crying about how he is a dictator?

The opposition is only exposing themselves by risking people’s lives for these pointless rallies during a pandemic. If anything this works in IK’s favour cause rational Pakistanis can now see how little their health matters to PML-N and PPP

If he cannot take law breakers to task, he needs to be sent packing. Barkay marwa lo iss say!

 

[Major]

What do you want him to do? Arrest the opposition so people can start crying about how he is a dictator?

The opposition is only exposing themselves by risking people’s lives for these pointless rallies during a pandemic. If anything this works in IK’s favour cause rational Pakistanis can now see how little their health matters to PML-N and PPP

plz dont talk about risking lives and pointless rallies.

You have no idea the problems that were caused by imran's dharna days.
Exams cancelled, routes blocked, travel time increase by twice.

 

[El Generico]

plz dont talk about risking lives and pointless rallies.

You have no idea the problems that were caused by imran's dharna days.
Exams cancelled, routes blocked, travel time increase by twice.

Sure but was there a global pandemic those days? I am sure the dharna were a hassle for normal people but these rallies are literally risking people’s lives.

It is extremely arrogant of PDM to tell there followers to come out with the second wave at its peak. Hopefully people realize how little PDM thinks of the average Pakistani and their health.

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said that the opposition's rally in Multan will go ahead as planned on Monday (tomorrow) and condemned the government's move to arrest workers of PPP and other opposition parties.

Addressing the media alongside PML-N Punjab president Rana Sanaullah and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani on Sunday, Rehman said that the PDM had initially decided to organise a long march to Islamabad in Jan 2021. "However, it seems like the government wants us to march to Islamabad earlier [than scheduled] and tell them what they are worth," he said.

"The rally will be held at Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh [stadium] and all workers will be there," he stressed.

Responding to a question about PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz's attendance at tomorrow's rally, Sanaullah said that the PDM had not started the movement with the government's permission and Maryam did not join after government approval either.

"She will attend the rally tomorrow and will break all barriers. Imran Khan has been saying for three years that he won't spare anyone. Now we won't spare him," he said.

Yousaf said that Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, daughter of former president Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal's sister would address the rally as both leaders were unwell. "I am thankful to the government that they have ensured the rally's success before it even happened. [Prime Minister Imran] promised on the floor of the house that he will provide containers and food to the opposition if they want to hold rallies. Half that promise has been fulfilled, the containers have arrived."

He also condemned the arrest of PDM workers by police earlier in the day, saying that the alliance has mobilised the People's Lawyers Forum over the arrests.

Multan police arrested more than 20 workers of the PPP and other parties aligned with the PDM, including Ali Qasim Gilani, the son of ex-premier Yousaf Raza Gilani, after they attempted to remove containers and roadblocks in front of the stadium — the venue for the PDM's fifth power show.

A day earlier, enthusiastic workers of the PPP stormed into the stadium in order to set the stage and make arrangements for the opposition’s rally after removing the barriers placed around the venue by the police.

Later that night, police and district administration cleared the venue. However, PDM leaders tried to remove the containers and bring equipment for the rally again, after which police confiscated their crane and arrested Ali Qasim Gilani, former member of the provincial assembly (MPA) Javed Siddiqui, Syed Arif Shah Saad Kanju and 25 other party workers.

The administration also resealed the route to the stadium with containers whereas party workers left the venue due to the cold.

In the morning, police and district officials emptied the stadium of equipment for the rally and took control of the area. Security around the stadium was tightened and police contingents were deployed.

Meanwhile, leaders from PPP, PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) reached the city to decide on a final course of action for tomorrow's rally. A spokesperson for Ansarul Islam, the khaki-clad volunteer force of the JUI-F, said that 3,000 members would reach the city today for security arrangements.

Emergency plan prepared
A spokesperson for the district administration said that it has completed arrangements to deal with any emergency situation. "An emergency plan has been prepared on the instructions of the deputy commissioner," the spokesperson said.

"Officials from the district administration, police and various organisations have taken over their duties. Officers of all institutions have been instructed to remain at the district headquarters for the next 72 hours. Instructions have also been issued to set up three helipads in the area around the stadium while a bomb disposal squad has been readied.

"A control room has been set up at the District HQ," the spokesperson added.

Registration of FIR
Police have also registered a first information report (FIR) against 80 people, including all four sons of the former premier — Abdul Qadir Gilani, Ali Musa Gilani, MPA Ali Haider Gilani and Ali Qasim Gilani and local leaders of the PDM who participated in the previous day's rally to the stadium.

The FIR stated that participants of the rally damaged the stadium and broke down the obstacles placed by police.

Qasim Gilani and PPP leader Jawwad Gujjar, who was also arrested, were taken to Multan's Nishtar Hospital for a coronavirus test.

PM lashes out
Prime Minister Imran Khan, meanwhile, lashed out at political leaders whose "sole and desperate goal is to save their families' looted wealth and corruption" and once again declared that the government will not grant an NRO even if pressurised.

Without naming the PDM or any opposition politician, the premier in a series of tweets said that due to the increase in Covid-19 cases in the country, the government needs to impose smart lockdowns but the opposition "want(s) jalsas not caring for the lives and safety of people".

"In fact not only do these 'leaders' lack any empathy with the masses, their families looted national wealth to further impoverish our masses. These entitled 'leaders' living like royalty in their secluded mansions, have simply inherited their positions because of their families," the prime minister tweeted.

 

[MenInG]

 

[MenInG]

PML-N on Sunday claimed that several party members have been arrested from Ghanta Ghar Chowk in Multan for carrying out a "peaceful rally."

According to Geo News, dozens of party workers, accompanied by PML-N MNA Rana Sanaullah, reached the Ghanta Ghar intersection in Multan to carry out a rally but police intervened to stop them, resulting in an altercation. As a result, about seven party members were arrested by the police and were shifted to an unknown location.

Talking to journalists, Rana Sunallah stressed that Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will "host a jalsa in Multan tomorrow (November 30) at all costs and will not cancel it under any circumstances."

PML-N Secretary Information Marriyum Aurangzeb told Geo News that party members were carrying out a peaceful rally but the government ordered their arrest.

"These fascist rulers have arrested our workers who were carrying out a very peaceful protest against the incompetent government. Unlike their own supporters in the past, our workers did not carry out a civil disobedience movement; we didn't physically attack police officers as they did at D-Chowk," she said.

Marriyum added that the police have been arresting PML-N workers from their homes for the past four days and now they have attacked the workers and taken them into custody for no reason.

She said that wherever Prime Minister Imran Khan goes to address the public, coronavirus vanishes from that place. However, when the Opposition parities hold peaceful rallies, they resort to physical violence.

"The jalsa will take place in Multan at any cost tomorrow. PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz Sharif will leave Lahore at for Multan at 10am sharp," she asserted.

Marriyum added that about 20 to 40 of PML-N workers have been arrested and are teams are looking out for them.

"If they try to arrest Rana Sanaullah and other party leaders, then this fascist government will be responsible for the chaos that will follow," she threatened.

When asked how the PDM will carry out the jalsa given that the police has cordoned off the rally's venue as well as the stadium by installing barricades and containers, Marriyum Aurengzeb said that if the government tries to shut down one jalsa venue, the PDM will carry out the rally across the city.

"They have done the same in Gujranwala, Swat, Mansehra, and Quetta. They [the government] should know that whenever they tried to stop our jalsas, the gatherings resultantly got even bigger," she said. "If any unfortunate situation arises, PM Imran Khan will be solely responsible for that."

PML-N information secretary reiterated that the PTI government should first of all stop its own conventions and gatherings, and stop Jamat-i-Islami from holding rallies before targeting the Opposition.

Source GEO

 

[Bewal Express]

The irony is that these same people with the support of the mafia media would be calling for a total locked down again if they didn't have these pointless rallies to attend, so they could blackmail the govt.
If the virus keeps infecting more and more people, IK will just blame the opposition and they will have no comeback. These crooks are just evil and they have lost morally and they will lose politically.

 

[Shah]

Imran Khan won the last election democratically. Give him time to govern and improve the lives of ordinary people.