PDM protest: JUI-F, govt fail to finalise venue

ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) and the incumbent government has failed to agree on venue for protest, planned by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) against the Supreme Court (SC), ARY News reported on Sunday.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah held another meeting with PDM President Maulana Fazl ur Rehman in a day to persuade him to change the venue of tomorrow’s protest.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, Rana Sanaullah said that the decision regarding the venue for protests will be decided tomorrow after consultation between heads of all the parties in the ruling coalition.

The minister further said that the decision was taken after receiving reports provided by security agencies regarding the protest.

Taking over the presser, Ishaq Dar assured that the protests against Supreme Court (SC) would remain peaceful. “There will be no violence during the protest,” he said, adding that the JUI had assured that not even a pot will be broken.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) head and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman rejected the federal government’s request to change the venue of tomorrow’s protest.

Ishaq Dar said that the law and order situation had deteriorated a few days ago and the federal government wants PDM to hold protest at D-Chowk instead of the Supreme Court (SC).

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Maulana Fazl rejected the government’s request and said that they had already made the announcement for the venue and the decision will be made by the nation.

He said that convoys have departed for Islamabad and the PDM workers will hold a peaceful protest.

Earlier, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) sought the local district administration’s permission to hold a sit-in outside Supreme Court premises in Islamabad.

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As per details, the ruling coalition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has submitted an application for public rally at Islamabad’s D-Chowk.

The application, a copy of which is available with ARY News, states that the ruling party alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) wishes to “hold a public gathering at D-Chowk, Islamabad on Monday at 10am”.

Former minister and PML-N leader Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry confirmed that an application on the matter had been submitted to the concerned authorities.

“PML-N workers from across Islamabad will fully participate in the protest,” he said.

PDM head Maulana Fazl had announced sit-in outside the apex court on May 12 after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan was granted bail in several cases against him from Islamabad High Court a day after his release on the orders of a Supreme Court bench.