• Interior minister says ‘final’ decision regarding venue will be taken today, promises foolproof security • PPP, ‘N’ caravans from Lahore on their way to Red Zone

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of the federal government, including Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, apparently failed on Sunday to convince Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of the ruling Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), to change the venue of a sit-in scheduled to take place outside the Supreme Court on Monday (today).

The protest was called by the PDM after PTI chairman Imran Khan got blanket relief from courts in cases lodged against him, including the Al Qadir Trust case in which he was detained by Rangers on the premises of the Islamabad High Court.

Although the PDM chief announced on Friday that the alliance would stage a sit-in outside the SC’s building, PML-N leaders requested him to change the venue of the sit-in on account of security concerns.

The sit-in is likely to take place at Constitution Avenue in Islamabad, outside the Supreme Court building at a time when the top court is expected to resume hearing an Election Commission of Pakistan’s petition requesting the court to revisit its April 4 ruling that ordered polls in Punjab on May 14.

Last-ditch effort

A last-ditch effort to convince the PDM chief apparently failed as well. In a media talk alongside Mr Dar and JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri after a meeting with Maulana Fazl, Mr Sanaullah gave an ambiguous statement regarding the outcome of the sitting with the JUI-F chief.

He said a final decision regarding the venue would be taken on Monday morning, but added, in the same breath, that the decision regarding the site of the protest, outside the Supreme Court, was taken by all parties of the PDM.

The interior minister said he had presented all security concerns before the PDM chief and it was decided that foolproof security arrangements would be made wherever the sit-in was staged.

“I have already directed the police and the local administration to make all necessary arrangements,” he added. Maulana Fazl was not present at the presser, indicating that he probably did not agree with any proposal regarding a change of venue of the protest.

Mr Dar said the interior minister was satisfied that participants of the sit-in would remain peaceful and no disturbance would occur during the demonstration. “Radius (of sensitive Red Zone) is well before you and the main apprehension — about loss of property and access during the protest — will be addressed,” he added.

Earlier in the day, the interior minister told a press conference that the government had requested the Maulana to change the venue of the sit-in to somewhere outside the Red Zone.

Maulana Fazl had assured them that he would be back after consulting his party leaders, Mr Sanaullah added. He said due to the huge number of expected protesters, the PDM chief was requested to hold the protest outside of the Red Zone.

Permission for sit-in

On the other hand, local leaders of both PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F (JUI-F) have submitted an application to the local administration of Islamabad seeking permission to hold a public gathering and sit-in at D-Chowk, in front of the Parliament House.

It may be mentioned here that besides JUI-F, the PML-N, PPP, Awami National Party (ANP), Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP) and others have decided to take part in the protest while Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was uncertain about its participation.

PPP participation

PPP will participate in a peaceful protest and sit-in outside the Supreme Court on Monday announced by the PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, said PPP Secretary General Nayyar Hussain Bukhari. Addressing a news conference flanked by Minister of State for Poverty Alleviation Faisal Karim Kundi, Mr Bukhari said the party’s leadership, parliamentarians and workers would participate in the sit-in in front of the SC on May 15.

A caravan of the PPP’s Lahore chapter left for Islamabad on Sunday to attend the sit-in outside the Supreme Court building, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz activists would leave for the federal capital in the morning.

The PPP rally was led by Chaudhry Aslam Gill, who said that the caravan would reach Islamabad in three groups. He alleged that the higher judiciary was facilitating PTI chairman Imran Khan in creating chaos in the country as for the first time in the national history army installations were attacked. He held the judiciary “equally responsible” for the arson attacks and violence.

PML-N chief organiser Maryam Nawaz Sharif has already reached Islamabad to join the sit-in being held by the Pakistan Democratic Movement to press Supreme Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial to resign “favouring” Imran Khan in different cases.

PML-N Lahore chapter president Saiful Malook Khokhar told a press conference that the party’s rally would leave for Islamabad on Monday morning. He said that party caravans from Thokar Niaz Beg, Kala Shah Kaku, and Pindi Bhattian would join the Lahore rally.

Mr Khokhar said they were going to Islamabad to ‘greet’ the person, who was “pleased” to see the accused in the Rs60 billion corruption case and was also named in the Toshakhana case.

Amjad Mehmood from Lahore also contributed to the story.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2023