ISLAMABAD: The venue for Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) February 5 rally has been moved from Rawalpindi to Azad Jammu and Kashmir after a telephonic conversation between PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman.
According to a private news channel, a delegation of senior PML-N leaders including AJK PM Raja Farooq Haider and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had called on the PDM chief following Nawaz’s call.
The decision to change the rally’s venue was finalised after the meeting and reportedly on the request of the PML-N. Maulana Fazl had announced that the PDM would hold a Kashmir Day rally at Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh.
The announcement was seen as a thinly-veiled power move as it came despite the military saying it saw ‘no reason’ for the Opposition alliance to march towards Rawalpindi.
Earlier, DG ISPR Major-General Babar Iftikhar had said that he did not see any reason for the PDM to head to Rawalpindi — the city where Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters is located.
“If at all they want to come, we will take care of them. Serve them tea [chai paani]. What more can I say,” he had said. The ISPR chief had said that the army is simply doing its job and will respond to criticism only when it is felt that the criticism is based on facts or holds some weight.
