The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has announced a long march to Islamabad, by late January or early February.
The announcement came during a rally at Lahore’s Minar-e-Pakistan yesterday, hosted by the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N).
Even though the organisers of the jalsa had asked the attendees to reach the venue at 2pm, hundreds of supports started gathering there earlier despite the cold weather, enthusiastically chanting slogans, carrying flags, and warming up the atmosphere.
In her address, PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz urged supporters to answer the call for a march to Islamabad, while Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari formally announced that the movement is now headed to Islamabad.
PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the march will take place in late January or early February.
Rehman saluted the passion and enthusiasm of those gathered.
“The resolve that you have shown will prove to be a milestone in history,” he said.
“The country is currently ruled by an illegitimate government,” Rehman said.
The PDM chief vowed that the government “will be of the people”. “This system of rigging will no longer work.”
Rehman said that people’s emotions are now turning into anger and resentment.
He said the entire movement is aimed at securing stability for Pakistan.
“Let us all make a vow today. We must keep our land free,” he said to the crowd. “And like a free nation, we have to forge our own identity.”
He claimed that never in 73 years did India “dare such a move” but today has “illegally occupied Kashmir and swallowed it whole”.
“Today the poor are unemployed, and inflation has broken the backs of the people,” Rehman said, adding that the youth to whom golden dreams were shown have no source of income today.
Taking Prime Minister Imran Khan to task, he said: “When he was staging sit-ins, he had benefactors, and now that he is in the government, it is because he was brought here.”
Rehman said that the PDM demands the rule of parliament. “We will not allow parliament to be held hostage.”
He vowed that electoral reforms will be brought in for free elections and that people’s rights will be safeguarded, as well as those of the provinces.
The PDM chief also promised freedom of speech and protection of media, and the eradication of terrorism.
“We will march towards Islamabad in late January or early February,” he said, adding that all the opposition parties will “take our resignations with us”.
“We will no longer allow the illegitimate government to rule. We will only rest after it is brought to an end.”
Bilawal began his address by saying that the PPP’s foundations were laid in Lahore by party founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
He paid tribute to all those who had died in Lahore but never bowed to dictators.
Bilawal said that the PDM is reaching out to every town and village.
“Things are in a dismal state with today’s incompetent, illegal and unqualified government. People have nothing but curses in their hearts and on their lips.”
The PPP chairman said that these “fools have no clue or wisdom about history”, adding: “When have we ever feared dictators? We have burned all our boats.”
He said that when the people band together in a show of force, “chains of oppression are broken”.
“Your victory is near,” he said, to a roaring crowd. “Inshallah, this puppet government will be sent home.”
He said that although students, traders, doctors, and shopkeepers are all in deep distress, the future of Pakistan is bright.
“The government cannot feel the pain of the people because they did not come through your vote. This is not the choice of the people.”
Bilawal said that the “biggest joke” was being pulled with Punjab, where the “fake government” has no concern for the people’s rights.
“In the city of lights there is nothing but darkness,” he added.
The PPP chairman said that the PDM stands by the people of Lahore.
He said that it is the platform’s demand to free Opposition Leader Shahbaz Sharif, who is the PML-N president, and the PPP’s Khurshid Shah.
Bilawal said that when students demand their rights through student unions, there is “police gardi”; when doctors and nurses ask for their rights, force is used against them; and when farmers ask for their rights, they are “martyred”.
“But the night of the oppression is about to end,” he said.
The PPP chairman said that all the opposition parties have put aside their political differences and are standing together on the platform of PDM.
He said this was done “so we can restore your rightfully chosen leaders”.
“This isn’t a fight for rule. This is a war to deliver roti, kapra and makaan (food, clothing and shelter). This is a war for the youth, for the labourers and for all of you.”
“We have sacrificed our lives for this democracy. And we will defend this democracy and your votes with our blood,” Bilawal added.
“Now there will be a long march! Islamabad, we are coming! When we reach Islamabad, we will snatch the undeserving prime minister’s resignation. We are united,” he declared.
Maryam Nawaz, welcoming supporters to the gathering, said: “Who would say … that the PML-N should dare and fill the venue?”
“To them I say: Come and behold this full venue. The entire area surrounding the venue is full. Thousands could not find space here,” she said.
Maryam also urged the supporters to give a warm welcome to leaders of other provinces that have arrived.
She said that Lahore will be the binding force for all provinces.
Lauding the people of Lahore for the welcome they had shown her in the days leading up to the rally, Maryam said that every nook and corner of the city had turned into a jalsa venue in the lead-up to the gathering.
Maryam said she will never be able to repay the people for the kindnesses shown to her in all her life.
She also requested that the men present respect and take care of and protect the women in attendance.
“I have received word that the media is being told to portray as if the rally failed. I know who is making these calls,” Maryam said, adding: “The people of Lahore have thrown this anti-people government off from the heights of Minar-e-Pakistan.”
The PML-N leader also played two sets of videos, showing all of the promises made by the prime minister, when the PTI held a jalsa, right under Minar-e-Pakistan.
“When a leader engages in corruption, it is the people who pay with inflation. So who is the real thief?” she asked.
Counting all of the premier’s promises made pre-election, she asked whether all the hospitals and universities that were promised ever came to fruition.
“He used to say that Prime Minister House and Governor House would be turned into a university. But did it happen?”
She lamented the mismanagement at Khyber Teaching Hospital, where six lives were lost due to a lack of availability of oxygen tanks.
She urged the people: “Promise me, if you have to march towards Islamabad, you will march.”
Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Sherpao addressed the gathering, saying that the platform is of the view that domestic and foreign policies have “failed”.
“All institutions have become paralysed. We do not accept the inflation, the unemployment, and the country’s economic policies,” he said, adding that Pakistan ranks among the countries with the highest inflation in the region.
Earlier in the afternoon, the PML-N hosted a lunch for PDM leaders at the residence of former National Assembly speaker Ayaz Sadiq, where a consultative pre-rally meeting was also held.
Rehman, Maryam, Pervez Rasheed, Mohamed Zubair, and Musadik Malik attended the gathering.
They were joined by PPP chief Bilawal, the National Party’s Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
Supporters of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of political opposition parties, wave flags as they listen to the speeches by their leaders during a protest rally yesterday in Lahore.
