Published 08:46 IST, December 16th 2020
Told to quit as PM, shaken Imran books united Opposition netas for Minar-e-Pakistan jalsa
Pakistan Democratic Movement's top leaders were booked on Tuesday for causing irreparable damage to a national asset after its Minar-e-Pakistan rally in Lahore
- World News
- 3 min read
Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) top leaders, including PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz, were booked on Tuesday for causing irreparable damage to a national asset after its Minar-e-Pakistan rally in Lahore. The decision by a seemingly fearful Imran Khan-led PTI government comes after the 11-party Opposition alliance set January 31 deadline for the Prime Minister to step down or face a long march on Islamabad.
According to Geo News, PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz and PML-N leaders Khawaja Saad Rafique, Ahsan Iqbal and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have been named in the case. Other Opposition leaders, including Rana Sanaullah and Marriyum Aurangzeb, have also been named.
PDM caused 'irreparable damage' to Minar-e-Pakistan
The FIR states that the 11-party alliance caused "irreparable damage" to the sanctity of a national heritage [Minar-e-Pakistan] that includes 15 counts of violations. "The PDM administration broke the gate and fences of the Greater Iqbal Park to enter," the FIR read. It was further reported that a day earlier, two cases were registered "against the PDM's Lahore jalsa for forcibly entering the Greater Iqbal Park in Lahore and holding a public rally." Geo News further reported adding that the FIR stated that "the PDM leadership and workers broke locks and forcibly entered the park to make arrangements for a public gathering."
The opposition alliance held its final anti-government rally in Lahore on Sunday despite a ban on the gathering of more than 300 people owing to an increase in COVID-19 cases across the country. Meanwhile, the Lahore police have launched a crackdown on service providers for the event. The police high-ups assigned divisional SPs to identify and arrest the people who looked after seating and other arrangements for the PDM public gathering, and take legal action against those responsible for helping to organise the rally, Dawn reported.
Police launches crackdown against service providers of event
The district government was also assigned the same task, after which the Shahdara police registered a criminal case against two major dealers, Mian Imran and Mian Shahid, for facilitating the opposition rally by selling 7,000 chairs. The complainant alleged that the suspects blatantly violated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for COVID-19 and Section 144 imposed by Punjab. Dawn reported an official saying that the police obtained some photographs and video clips of Mian Imran when he made his appearance in the Lahore public gathering.
Ahead of the rally, a rattled Imran Khan had warned that police cases would be launched against the organisers of the event. "We will file FIRs against everyone -- from the kursi wala to the sound system handlers but won't stop them [Opposition leaders] from going there," he said. The PDM has made it clear that nothing short of fresh elections is acceptable to it. It has held five similar rallies in Peshawar, Gujranwala, Karachi, Quetta and Multan since October 16.
(With agency inputs)
Updated 08:46 IST, December 16th 2020