From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Top Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Maryam Nawaz on Tuesday directed the party activists to refrain from sleeping at their homes ahead of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) rally in Gujranwala on October 16 to evade arrests from the authorities.
The PML-N leader, who is now overseeing the party affairs after the arrest of Shehbaz Sharif, conveyed a message to the activists saying that the October 16 public gathering will be held at any cost and they should fully prepare themselves for it.
“The activists should take measures to avoid any possible arrests,” she said while further directing them to avoid responding to the messages and calls from unidentified people.
“Try not to sleep at homes before the October 16 rally in Gujranwala,” she asked the PML-N activists and further directed the volunteers to meet people from all walks of life for ensuring their attendance in the public gathering. She further claimed that the government has started panicking ahead of the Gujranwala rally and is eyeing to arrest party activists to foil it.
It is pertinent to mention here that Maryam Nawaz on October 07 announced that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – a multiparty alliance of the opposition will hold its first rally in Gujranwala on October 16.
Talking to media along with the JUI-F delegation, who called the PML-N leaders here in Jati Umra, Maryam Nawaz said that the opposition parties first rally would be held in Gujranwala and she would also extend an invitation to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to attend the rally.
Moreover, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz says the government can’t win war against the masses as people are standing by Nawaz Sharif and soon they will get rid of this ‘incompetent and incapable prime minister’ following the protest drive. She told a private TV channel that the Imran Khan’s government would be sent packing before January following Pakistan Democratic Movement’s protest campaign.
Meanwhile, she also demanded resignation of retired Lt-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa from the CPEC chairmanship.
“Resignation from the post of the special assistant to the prime minister on information and broadcasting is not enough. Mr Bajwa should also resign from the chairmanship of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. CPEC is a game changer for Pakistan and a person who is facing allegations should separate himself from it,” she told reporters in Model Town on Monday where she had come to meet party leaders and workers to review the Gujranwala rally on Oct 16.
In a statement, PML-N information secretary Marriyum Aurangzeb said the entire city of Gujranwala and people would come to attend the public meeting on Oct 16.
She said Imran Khan never had the power to obstruct the PDM rally.
Responding to Imran’s statement, Marriyum said these public meetings were a resolve of the people of Pakistan frustrated by the ‘theft’ of sugar, flour, medicine and fuel by the ‘looters’ in this government.
“These public meetings are an outrage against the robbing of their mandate and the desecration of the sanctity of their vote”, she said.
The former Information minister said these statements by Imran were a desperate effort to mask his embarrassment.
“The flood of Pakistanis is ready to break all barriers and to express their will, they don’t need Imran’s permission. The true leaders don’t need Imran’s advice or permission to arrive as all they need is the love of their people which they already have more than the selected prime minister can imagine”, Marriyum said.
BAIL: An anti-terrorism court on Monday extended the interim pre-arrest bail of PML-N MNA Rana Sanaullah Khan, retired Capt Muhammad Safdar and others in a case of allegedly attacking a police team outside the office of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) where PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz had gone to appear in an inquiry about land allotment. Mr Khan along with his legal counsel appeared before the court, while an application for one-time exemption from personal appearance was filed on behalf of Mr Safdar.
Presiding Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta allowed the application of Safdar and extended the bail of the PML-N leaders till Oct 15.
