Marching on Islamabad: PMLN braces for tit-for-tat strategy to counter siege

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has started mobilising its workers for the upcoming public meeting at D-Chowk, Islamabad, and directed them to be fully equipped to counter any untoward situation.

Party sources said PMLN has directed all the party leaders, MNAs, MPAs, ticket holders and district heads to start mobilising workers and supporters to reach Jati Umra and Model Town in Lahore to accompany the caravan led by Maryam Nawaz and Hamza Shehbaz.

Sources said party leadership has intensified its preparations for the upcoming event, adding that the workers of adjoining areas of Islamabad and other cities had been directed to reach D-Chowk a day before the scheduled public meeting.

The leadership was further directed to make alternative plans in case the government created hurdles on their way to Islamabad. PMLN stalwarts, including PMLN’s Punjab President Rana Sanaullah, Khwaja Saad Raffique, Pervaiz Rasheed, Ayaz Sadiq, Javed Latif and other central leaders were given different tasks with regard to arrangements for the upcoming event.

Similarly, the local leadership of different cities, such as Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Jhang, Mianwali, Sargodha, Multan and Rawalpindi were asked to setup welcome camps alongside the route of the rally, starting from Lahore.

The party sources said Maryam Nawaz allotted different colours to the female parliamentarians and they were asked to mobilize female workers. The female party leaders who were assigned responsibilities for the upcoming event included MPA Hina Pervaiz Butt, Ayesha Raza, Kiran Dar, Sania Ashiq, Sumbal Malik Hussain, Ayesha Ghous Pasha, Bushra Butt, Kanwal Pervez, Rukhsana Kausar and Rahat Afza.

They added the party leadership has also directed the male parliamentarians, ticket holders and local leaders to bring at least 1,000 males and 250 females workers with them. They further said that all leaders were directed to move in flocks with their workers to avoid any possible arrest and to break any siege. Besides, the workers were also directed to stage sit-in wherever they were stopped.

On the other hand, PMLN Punjab President Rana Sanaullah has also released a video message to the party workers asking them to get ready to reach Islamabad’s D-Chowk on a short notice.

“Use of baton charge or tear gas will worsen the situation and all the responsibility of the possible backlash will be on the shoulders of Imran Khan,” he stated. PMLN’s senior leader and Punjab’s Information Secretary Azma Bukhari while talking with The News confirmed the party has initiated its preparations for the upcoming march. She said all the party leadership was entrusted with responsibilities.

Over a question for rational behind holding a public meeting after tabling no-confidence motion against the PM, she said what the purpose of Imran Khan’s rally at D-chowk is on 27th March.

She added Khan wanted to stop the entry of parliamentarians in the house, which we will not allow. Answering another question, she said the situation will decide if the PMLN workers stay or not at the D-Chowk till March 27.