PDM holds rally in Buzdar’s Dera Ghazi Khan

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 05 Jan 2023

The Pakistan Democratic Movement or PDM has held a rally at Railways Road in Dera Ghazi Khan, the hometown of Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzadar who reacted anxiously to the development.

PDM Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PMLN President Shehbaz Sharif arrived at the venue Sunday evening. Rana Sanaullah, Awais Laghari, the son of former president Farooq Laghar, Captian retd Safdar Hussain, and other leaders attended the rally.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif was noted for her absence both from the rally and from social media. It allowed critics to underscore the alleged rift in the PMLN.

Punjab Government Spokesperson Hassan Khawar has said that uncle Shehbaz Sharif and niece Maryam were never united and neither will be in future.

Shehbaz Sharf, addressing the rally, said he was not there to remind people of the projects the PMLN government had carried out in the region. But then he did exactly that and named all the projects PMLN governments executed in DG Khan, SAMAA TV said.

The PMLN president said that the fact that people turned up in large numbers for the PDM rally testified that it was time for the Imran Khan government to go home.

He said people needed to get rid of the government if they wanted to overcome inflation. “Petrol and electricity [prices] are falling on people like bombs. People must take to the streets now,” he said.

He said sugar, flour, ghee, and medicine prices were going up under the Khan government and would further increase if he were allowed to continue.

PDM Chief Fazlur Rehman blasted the government for its economic and foreign policy debacles. He said the entire Asia is advancing but no one is ready to build trade with Pakistan. Let alone creating new jobs, the government has rendered people jobless, he said

Fazlur Rehman said only after Pakistan builds a strong economy it would be able to form an independent foreign policy.

The preparations for the rally were in full swing since Sunday morning. Organizers hoisted banners, flags of various PDM constituents and placards on major roads in the city.

PMLN’s Marriyum Aurangzeb claimed that the public gathering would prove to be a referendum against “the cruel government.”

When asked about the possibility of bringing PPP back into the PDM fold, Rana Sanaullah said that they did not have time for appeasing anyone, adding that it was the right time to get rid of the government.

Punjab government criticizes the rally

The rally brings the political battle to home turf for Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar who hails from DG Khan.

On Sunday he said public gatherings and protests would not put the country on the path to progress. “There is no room for anarchy in the country and this is not the time for demonstrating negative politics.”

In a message to PDM leaders, Buzdar said that he expected the opposition, especially PDM, to act in a responsible manner.

“Pakistan’s vital interests must be held above everything else,” Buzdar maintained.

Punjab Government Spokesman Hassan Khawar Sunday evening said that the PDM rally had failed to draw a large crowd. He said there were fewer people than the chairs arranged at “a small gathering place.”

“People of DG Khan love the prime minister and Chief Minister Buzdar,” he said.