PDM leadership reaches Islamabad's red zone

ISLAMABAD: The leadership of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday reached Islamabad’s Red Zone to participate in the alliance’s sit-in against the judiciary, ARY News reported. 

Earlier in the day, the workers of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) entered Islamabad’s red zone despite the imposition of Section 144 in the federal capital.

According to the details, a large number of PDM workers entered the Islamabad’s red zone by foot as well as in Trucks and vehicles. The capital police failed to stop the PDM workers to enter the red zone.

In a recent development, the workers started to set up the stage for protest meanwhile, the PDM’s management committee meeting is underway to discuss and make a strategy for the protest.

Due to the protest the internet services and social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Youtube are likely to get suspended across the country.

In a tweet, PTI leader Iftekhar Durrani stated that despite section 144 in place, the PDM protestors entered the Red Zone in Islamabad without facing any blockades, shelling or firing.

He added that it is now evident that the imposition of section 144 was only to stop the peaceful protest of PTI. He said that this double standard of the law is tantamount to severely harming the writ of the state.

The rallies of the coalition government parties including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) on their way to participate in the protest.

Bilawal ‘advised’ not to attend sit-in

According to sources, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is currently holding consultations regarding its participation in the upcoming sit-in. The party’s leaders have reportedly ‘advised’ its chairman, Bilawal Bhutto, against participating in the sit-in.

Sources revealed that PPP’s leadership has been advised against participating in the sit-in, and instead, the party’s delegation is expected to represent the party in the protest.

Fazl ‘agrees’ to change venue

Sources said that the PDM and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JIU-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has ‘agreed’ to stage a sit-in at Islamabad’s D-Chowk.

The matters between the PDM and the federal government were settled and as per the agreement, the PDM workers were barred from protesting outside the SC, sources added.

Ministers meet PDM chief

A day earlier, Federal Minister Ishaq Dar and Rana Sanaullah met Maulana Fazlur Rehman today and appealed to not stage a protest outside the Supreme Court (SC).

However, the JUI-F supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman rejected the federal government’s request to change the venue and said that now the decisions will be taken in the ‘people’s court.’

Fazl’s announcement 

Earlier, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) president Maulana Fazlur Rehman announced that PDM will continue sit-in outside the Supreme Court of Pakistan until the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial resigns from his office.

It is pertinent to mention here that on May 12, PDM leadership sought the local district administration’s permission to hold a sit-in outside Supreme Court premises, following the PTI chief Imran Khan release orders.

Moreover, the Supreme Court summoned Pakistan Tehreel-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan for hearing on different cases.