-Normal crowd, old arguments at Gujranwala rally
-Lukewarm public response to highly charged leaders
-11 parties together could bring merely a few thousands to confront govt policies
By Ajmal Khan Yousafzai & Abid Usman
GUJRANWALA: It was merely a crowd of 10 to 15 000 political workers that 11 opposition parties could bring while making the maiden show against government policies here on Friday with general public giving lukewarm response to the highly charged opposition leaders who appeared with nothing new but repeated allegations against the government, without giving any way-out but insisting on toppling the government.
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, who left for the rally from her residence at Jati Umra, Lahore, in the afternoon, has arrived very late at the rally venue.
She and other PML-N leaders welcomed PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who reached the venue with his convoy after Maryam, on the stage.
Meanwhile, other opposition parties leaders also arrived to participate in the protest rally against government. In a tweet after 8pm, Maryam said it had taken her motorcade six hours to exit Lahore. “Now rushing to Gujranwala. Have crossed Kamoki,” she said.
“There is an ocean of people front, back, right & left. This is unprecedented,” she earlier wrote, sharing pictures and videos of the supporters accompanying her convoy. Bilawal energised his supporters through a brief talk during the journey at Wazirabad, saying the opposition parties will jointly work to rid the people of “this oppressive ruler”.
He said the opposition had taken to streets against “historic” unemployment, inflation and poverty.
Hundreds of supporters and workers had started gathering at the Jinnah Stadium, Gujranwala, in the afternoon after arriving from different cities in the form of rallies. They are chanting slogans and waving flags of the various opposition parties that are part of the PDM alliance, as opposition anthems are played on loudspeakers.
A number of politicians, including PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif, Khurram Dastagir and veteran politician Javed Hashmi, are present at the venue. PML-N’s Abbasi, Asif, Aurangzeb, Dastagir and Ahsan Iqbal, Hashmi, Abdul Malik Baloch of the National Party, Mian Iftikhar Hussain of the Awami National Party and PPP’s Latif Khosa are among the politicians who have so far addressed the crowd.
Contrary to the guidelines issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) for public gatherings in view of the coronavirus pandemic, there is next to no social distancing and most participants are not wearing masks.
According to our Gujranwala correspondent, an estimated 20,000-25,000 people are in attendance at the rally. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000. Nearly 10,000 seats have been arranged in the ground, while some 25,000 people can be accommodated in the various enclosures at the stadium.
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz left for the rally from her residence at Jati Umra, Lahore. In a tweet after 8pm, Maryam said it had taken her motorcade six hours to exit Lahore. “Now rushing to Gujranwala. [Have] crossed Kamoki,” she said. “There is an ocean of people front, back, right & left. This is unprecedented,” she earlier wrote, sharing pictures and videos of the supporters accompanying her convoy.
Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Fazlur Rehman is still hours away from the venue, while PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s convoy has entered the limits of Gujranwala city.
Bilawal energised his supporters through a brief talk during the journey at Wazirabad, saying the opposition parties will jointly work to rid the people of “this oppressive ruler”.
He said the opposition had taken to streets against “historic” unemployment, inflation and poverty.
Hundreds of supporters and workers had started gathering at the Jinnah Stadium, Gujranwala, in the afternoon after arriving from different cities in the form of rallies. They are chanting slogans and waving flags of the various opposition parties that are part of the PDM alliance, as opposition anthems are played on loudspeakers.
A number of politicians, including PML-N’s Marriyum Aurangzeb, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Khawaja Asif, Khurram Dastagir and veteran politician Javed Hashmi, are already present at the venue.
Contrary to the guidelines issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) for public gatherings in view of the coronavirus pandemic, there is next to no social distancing and most participants are not wearing masks. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000. Nearly 10,000 seats have been arranged in the ground, while some 25,000 people can be accommodated in the various enclosures at the stadium.
JUI-F chief and PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the opposition was committed to restoring the sanctity of the people’s vote. Speaking to the media in Lahore before his departure to the venue, the JUI-F chief said: “We don’t have personal enmity with anyone. But it should be specified that Pakistan belongs to Pakistanis. It does not belong to Western entities.
“Pakistan did not come into power to be ruled by the global establishment.
“The opposition is committed and there should be no impression that any of the parties are waiting for an agreement. All [parties] are committed and are united in restoring [the sanctity] of the people’s vote.”
