New Delhi, (#thestates.news) The then opposition leader Imran Khan led a
massive ‘’Azadi March’’ to Islamabad along with a powerful Muslim cleric
Tahir-ul-Qadri demanding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s removal for corruption
and electoral fraud.
The demonstrators in thousands led by the two, converged on capital Islamabad
in mid-August and resorted to a sit-in outside Parliament. The demonstrations
turned violent as protestors stormed Pakistan’s State television building. The
protestors accused Nawaz Sharif of rigging the 2013 elections with the help of
the judiciary.
Six years on history is being repeated in Pakistan.
October 17, 2020. An alliance of 11 opposition parties the Pakistan Democratic
Movement (PDM) held a massive rally at Gujranwala in Punjab Province and demanded
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s removal describing it a ‘’selected’’ (by the army)
government and holding it responsible for the problems the country is currently
facing.
While in August 2014 the issues were corruption and ‘electoral fraud’ by Nawaz
Sharif with the help of the judiciary, in October 2020 the issues are again
‘electoral rigging’ with the help of Army and other problems facing Pakistan.
In both cases the protestors demanded the Prime Minister’s removal.
On October 21, 2020, reports said clashes had broken out in Sindh province.
On August 31, 2014, clashes broke out after thousands of supporters of
Tahir-ul-Qadri and Imran Khan attempted to remove a barricade as they
approached the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s residence.
The 2014 rally on August 14 in Lahore coincided with Pakistan’s 67th
Independence Day while the October 18, 2020, rally in Karachi coincided with
the day former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated.
The 2014 rally described Nawaz Sharif’s government as ‘’illegitimate’’ while
the October 2020 demonstrations say Imran Khan’s government is ‘’selected’’ (by
Pakistan Army).
In August 2014, the government described Imran Khan’s demands as
‘’undemocratic’’ and a ‘’ploy to derail democracy’’. In October 2020 Imran Khan
hit out at the opposition for weakening Pakistan by trying to topple his
government.
The 11-Party PDM formed on September 20, includes the Pakistan Muslim
League–Nawaz faction (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party, the Jamiat Ulema
Islam’s Fazl faction (JUI-F) of Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman the Pakhtunkhwa Milli
Awami Party, the Baloch National Party and the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement among
others.
The PDM leaders declared that the first rally of the opposition’s protest
campaign in Gujranwala, Nawaz Sharif’s stronghold, was public referendum
against the “selected and incapable” Imran Khan government.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maryam Nawaz, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Mahmood Achakzai
and many others addressed the rally. Mr Nawaz Sharif addressed the rally relayed
directly from London where he is undergoing medical treatment. He accused the
country’s army chief, General Qamar Bajwa, of toppling his government,
pressuring the judiciary, and installing Imran Khan.
The PDM held a second rally in Karachi on Sunday in a show of strength after
Gujranwala on Friday. The Karachi rally coincided with the 13th anniversary of
the October 18, 2007, assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in
a massive bomb blast in Karachi that killed more than 200 people.
Experts believe that the rally has drawn the attention of not just Pakistani
stakeholders but also foreign observers since it is likely to set the tone for
the entire opposition campaign.
Reports said Pakistan is bracing for more protests and the PDM is set to hold
its third rally on October 25. The venue has not been disclosed yet.
The Pakistan government has begun a crackdown on the opposition and former
Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan and Raja Farooq Haider have been
charged with treason or criticizing the Army.(uni) (#mediasaheb.com)
Six years on, history being repeated in Pakistan
