By: Muhammad Ibrahim Bhatti
The threat of a power show between the government and the opposition in connection with the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s rally in Multan. The directive to allow BJP leaders to enter in the form of rallies has been flouted, which seemed to be escalating into two days of political tensions and clashes. This was the fourth PDM meeting to be held in Multan after Gujranwala, Quetta and Peshawar. The government had taken the position that the meeting should not be held to save lives in the wake of the second wave of the global corona virus, which is gaining momentum in the country. He closed not only the entrances and exits of the Qasim Bagh Stadium venue but also all the roads and highways through which caravans from other cities had to pass by erecting containers, besides arresting dozens of opposition workers and hundreds. To file cases against Apart from Multan, raids were also carried out in other cities of the province, but the police remained silent following government instructions. Workers from PPP, PML-N, JUI-F and other parties removed the containers themselves and broke other barriers to reach the venue. PDM leaders, in response to government measures, allowed workers to fight with sticks and announced a “jail-fill” movement if the rally was stopped by force and violence. It is not clear whether the rally will be held at Qasim Bagh Stadium or any other place but all the caravans are heading towards Qasim Bagh. Maryam Nawaz, Asifa Bhutto and all other leaders have reached Multan to participate in it. Maulana Fazlur Rehman had reached Multan two days ago. He had announced that we would not leave Multan without holding a meeting. No matter how many days it takes. The deadly Corona epidemic is undoubtedly a serious case and has claimed the lives of nearly 1.5 million people worldwide. At present, the rate of positive cases of corona in Pakistan has reached eight and a half percent. 70% of these cases have been recorded in Karachi, Hyderabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Pindi. The death toll continues to rise daily. Therefore, all precautionary measures should be taken to avoid this, including distance from meetings and gatherings. However, it is also a fact that people in many countries of the world are protesting and holding rallies to protect their rights. In Pakistan, it is not necessary to imitate them, but issues should be resolved through understanding. The current climate of political tension and confrontation can have a negative impact not only on politics but also on the country’s economy and society. Therefore, it is important to take the path of comprehensive national dialogue and resolve differences through reforms and legislation. The PDM has yet to hold more meetings. It is understandable that participants are required to follow security measures, but forcibly preventing them from participating will lead to confrontation and confrontation, which is not in the national interest at all. The country is currently facing many other internal and external problems. In such a situation, internal strife and confrontation is not in the interest of the country. The national leadership must realize this.