The Pakistan Democratic Movement — which had a falling out in February — is now seemingly making a comeback after having held a large rally in the port city, wherein they reiterated their old promises of a long march to Islamabad to oust the Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Addressing the rally in Karachi’s Bagh-e-Jinnah on Sunday, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif said PM Imran made false promises to the people of Sindh and Karachi.
Speaking of the addresses delivered by Baloch leaders before him, which centered around the province’s deprivations, Shahbaz said that PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his party will “stand by them to get them their economic, social and legal rights”.
He recalled how “Imran Niazi” had visited Karachi in March 2019 and promised a Rs162 billion development package for Sindh, and especially Karachi, adding that the premier then announced in 2020 a developmental package worth Rs1,100 billion for the province.
Shehbaz said except few pennies, PM Imran did not fulfill his promise of providing funds to the province.
Shahbaz said that the people are being “lulled into a false sense of security” with “false promises”.
He credited his elder brother and former premier Nawaz Sharif for stabilising country’s economy and restoring law and order in the port city.
“Nawaz Sharif in collaboration with the provincial government eliminated the menace of extortion and sack-packed bodies from Karachi,” he added.
Shehbaz also recalled “hours-long loadshedding, daily wagers returning home to no fans and living in mental anguish, no smoke coming out of industrial chimneys, businesses wrapping up and agricultural fields drying up out of resource deprivation”.
He said it was in the PML-N era that for the “first time in Pakistan’s history”, power projects were installed that generated 1,100MW of electricity.
“Now Karachi’s lights once more shine bright, industries are working full throttle and livelihoods that were lost due to a shortage of power, have once more returned,” he added.
Turning his guns back to PM, he said that “he would say that if the rupee slides down even by one unit versus the dollar, then the leader in power is corrupt”.
“He would say if electricity costs rise, then the premier is corrupt, if inflation is on the rise, the premier is corrupt.”
Shehbaz said prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed due to the “flawed policies” of PM Imran-led government.
“Imran Khan while sitting in sprawling palace of Bani Gala talks about making Pakistan a Madina-like state.”
Shehbaz said PM Imran is unaware of the issues being faced by the masses and pledged that if PDM is elected into power it will get rid of inflation, unemployment and other prevailing issues.
Addressing the rally from London via a video link, Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan is on the verge of “destruction” because of the conspiracies hatched against democracy by a few individuals.
The former premier said that if he was not ousted from power through “conspiracies” then the situation of the country would have been much better today.
“Elected prime minister was removed from power through ‘Panama episode’ and Imran Khan was installed into power through rigged elections,” he added.
Nawaz blamed the undemocratic forces for the country’s downfall, saying a handful of people have occupied the resources of the country while the masses were suffering due to inflation and unemployment.
He added that few individuals have sabotaged the country’s democratic system by stealing the people’s mandate.
Moreover, PDM chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the three-year performance of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has revealed how the government has turned the state and the people “unsecure”.
The PDM chief said that while other nations continue to progress, Pakistan “has only regressed”.
“Of course, amid all this, we cannot sit quietly and idly by. We have sworn to raise Pakistan’s ranks among the great nations of the world,” he said.
Fazlur Rehman said that due to unforeseen circumstances, such as the COVID crisis, PDM’s activities had undoubtedly been impacted, and people began to criticise how the movement has become silent, “but this sea of people, your enthusiasm bears witness that you are alive, the PDM is alive, and we will continue our journey forward without being stopped”.
He said that the PDM reiterates that “this government is illegal”.
“It has no mandate. It came into power through fake votes. They are seated in power with the use of force.
“We will combat them all, including those that support such imposed leaders upon us,” the PDM chief said.
A separate area for women attendees was prepared, next to the stage.
A steady flow of participants continued to arrive at the venue. Interestingly however, women attendees were not visible, despite protection promised by the PDM.
Stringent security measures are reported to be in place, with a large police presence, aside from the Razakar force.
The police contingent deployed at the venue includes 25 senior officers, 65 Deputy Superintendents of Police, and 3,748 police personnel.
Women security personnel have also been stationed there, with 30 of the total 93 belonging to the Special Security Unit of Sindh Police.
The police have encouraged people to report any suspicious activity immediately on the 15 police helpline.
Special arrangements have been made for the flow of traffic around the Bagh-e-Jinnah area.
A day earlier, Fazlur Rehman announced multiple anti-government rallies nationwide soon.
He said that a nationwide movement will be launched against the government and a white paper will be issued on the three-year performance of the government.
Asked about the participation of women in the Karachi rally, the PDM chief said that women would come to the meeting and they would be given full protection and respect.
All these sob’s are trouble makers of previous governments. They should be put behind bars, as they don’t know any better things besides instigations with so called public march…, these are not public marches but total civil disturbances.