Opposition's Pakistan Democratic Movement to hold first rally in Gujranwala on Oct 16

ISLAMABAD: The 11-party Pakistan Democratic Movement on Monday announced that it would hold its public rally in Karachi on October 18, as the PDM finalised all its office holders.

The PDM leaders also announced a new schedule of anti-govt rallies across the country after differences emerged among the political parties on the dates.

Ahsan Iqbal said that the opposition parties’ next rally would be held in Quetta on October 25 adding that the PDM will hold massive gatherings in Peshawar and Multan on November 22 and 30, respectively.

“Finally, a massive gathering will be held in Lahore, after which this fake set up will not be able to stand on its feet and the nation will announce that they want the rule of Constitution and law in the country,” Iqbal said without mentioning the date.

Flanked by Shahiq Khaqan Abbasi, who is appointed PDM’s Secretary-General and other senior opposition leaders, Iqbal said the meeting also condemned the first information report (FIR) lodged against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and other PML-N leaders.

The PML-N leader alleged that the government has damaged the Kashmir cause by implicating Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider in the FIR.

Earlier today, a case was filed against the PML-N supremo pertaining to criminal conspiracy for the “provocative speeches” he made in London to “defame Pakistan's institutions”.

The FIR alleges that the former prime minister, in his speeches, supported the policies of India, and claimed that Nawaz wanted to give the impression that Pakistan will be listed in the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) grey list in its upcoming meeting.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said the newly-formed group aimed at providing relief to the people.

"This government is selected and it has destroyed the economy. [The PDM demands] that the country should be run according to the Constitution," he said.

Abbasi claimed that the masses would join the PDM's campaign against the government and that Pakistan would see “a new beginning of democracy".

PDM's Vice President Raja Pervez Ashraf said that the basic aim of the movement was to express the thoughts and emotions of the Pakistani people.

"Today, people in Pakistan are suffering as they are unemployed, and If we don't raise our voice for them it would be dishonesty," he said.

The former prime minister said that people from all walks of life were facing immense difficulties due to the government's policies.

He also announced that ANP’s Mian Iftikhar Hussain would be the alliance's secretary information.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl central general secretary Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said that the government had "not even fulfilled one of its claims."

Haideri said that the incumbent government has gagged the press and that Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman is incarcerated for the last many months.

Several media workers are unemployed and industries have been severely affected, he said, adding: "People should stand against this incompetent government”.