LAHORE: All the main roads leading to Minar-i-Pakistan wore a festive look on Sunday as a number of public rallies emerging from various parts of the provincial capital and other cities headed towards the Greater Iqbal Park – the venue of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s mega power show against the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government.

The routes were dotted with banners, panaflexes and hoardings bearing images of the PDM leaders and inscribed with anti-government slogans.

Most of the eateries en route were crowded with people, mostly workers of opposition parties, including PML-N, PPP, and JUI-F. Similarly, most motorcycle rickshaws, vans and buses were also cramped with PDM workers.“You can see a rush here for breakfast. Most of the customers are workers of political parties,” owner of an eatery said. “After a long time, I have seen such a large number of customers at my shop,” he added.

“You cannot imagine the situation we have been in for over the last two years. This government has crushed us economically,” says young Murtaza who joined a rally taken out from the PML-N MNA Afzal Khokhar’s residence in Johar Town. “I feel the Imran Khan government will finally go home because of this movement,” he added while clinging to a special truck made for the PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz to proceed to the public meeting rally venue.

When the main PML-N rally was heading towards Minar-i-Pakistan via Canal Road, a huge JUI-F procession entered Lahore via Thokar Niaz Beg motorway interchange. Riding buses, trucks and vans, enthusiastic JUI-F workers raised slogans against the PTI government and in favour of their chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Some JUI-F workers Dawn talked to believed that the Lahore PDM show would be sufficient to oust the PTI government. “PTI voters, supporters and leaders keep using abusive language against our Quaid [Maulana] and other opposition leaders. It seems the government has nothing to do for the welfare of people,” Akram, a JUI-F worker, who was buying dried fruit at Thokar (on Multan Road), commented.

Most of the opposition’s processions used Ferozepur Road, Raiwind Road, Canal Road, Multan Road, The Mall, Allama Iqbal Road, Ravi Road, Shahdara and Jail Road to reach the venue.

Youngsters holding their party flags also took out bike rallies on Canal Road and The Mall and near Data Darbar. Besides, many people were also going to the venue by foot.

The PPP Jialas, like workers of other parties, also appeared very enthusiastic while heading towards the venue of the PDM show. They kept raising slogans like ‘Go Niazi, Go Niazi’ against PM Imran Khan and in favour of their party chairman Bilawal Bhutto- Zardari.

“Now Aseefa Bhutto too has formally entered politics by addressing the recent PDM rally in Multan. And we see her as a reflection of our leader Shaheed Benazir Bhutto,” said Anees, a PPP worker in a rally on The Mall.

Besides political parties’ rallies, a number of lawyers were also seen going to the venue in the form of a rally. “We are supporting the PDM for the ouster of this selected government” said Sadaqat Dogar, Lahore PML-N lawyers’ forum president while talking to the media.

Before reaching the venue, the PDM leaders including Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, first arrived at the residence of PML-N leader Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Zafar Ali Road, Gulberg, where they held a meeting, besides having lunch together.

On the other hand, the government made heavy police deployment for security of the PDM’s power show.

Since the internal security of the PDM’s public meeting, especially of the huge stage (80 feet long and 30 feet wide), had reportedly been assigned to the JUI-F volunteers Ansarul Islam, the Lahore administration and police set up a control room to monitor the venue with the help of as many as 150 close circuit TV cameras, besides drones. Around 20 walk-through security gates were also installed to check the people before entering the venue.

Sources said that given the administration’s warning to local contractors against providing chairs, sound system, lighting etc for the opposition event, the PML-N leaders had arranged the paraphernalia from Gujranwala a day before the rally.

Women workers of the PML-N and the PPP present at the venue also looked enthusiastic. “We believe that whatever happened to Nawaz Sharif and his family is really bad for the country. We also believe that one day, Nawaz Sharif would come back to steer the country into the right direction,” an elderly woman supporter said.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2020