Azadi March: PML-N not to support violent protest – Pakistan

LAHORE: The PML-N leadership decided on Monday not to support "Azadi March" by Maulana Fazlur Rehman if he became violent.

The unconditional PML-N held a detailed discussion on the sitting of Islamabad in Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam (JUI-F) and reached a consensus that he would continue his support & # 39; moral and democratic & # 39; to protest, but if he became violent (in the next few days) he would "immediately" distance himself from him.

The meeting was chaired by PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif at the Model City Secretariat, which was also attended by Secretary General Ahsan Iqbal, Information Secretary Marriyum Auranzeb, Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Khuram Dastgir, Muhammad Zubair, Amir Muqam, Barjees Tahir, Pervaiz Malik. , Javed Latif and Awais Leghari.

"At the meeting, we have decided in principle to continue our support for the peaceful march (of JUI-F), but we will not approve the violent protest," Ahsan Iqbal said when asked if PML-N would participate in the JUI-F. & # 39; sit down & # 39; or not.

He said the PML-N debate decided to support the "Azadi Marchi" and its political and democratic demands. "The next phase (of protest) will be decided in consultation with the opposition parties," he added. The suggestions of the meeting will be presented to the Rahbhar Committee to make a joint decision / strategy, ”said Mr. Iqbal, adding that Shahbaz Sharif was unable to attend the multi-party conference convened by the Maulana in Islamabad on Monday because he had to chair this. gathered in Lahore.

The former Interior Minister said the PML-N would try to make all opposition parties "move together." "Everyone at the meeting was of the opinion that all the demands (of Maulana) – resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan and detention of mid-term elections: full democratic support must be extended and future decisions must be taken in consultation with all parties of the opposition, "he said.

Ahsan Iqbal made a crude comparison between Imran Khan's sitting 2104 and Maulana's in 2019. "Imran Khan, at Islamabad's sitting at his party in 2014, prompted people to burn their utility bills, asked the expatriates and bureaucracy that stopped sending money through banks and disobeying government orders, respectively. Khan had even threatened public officials to hang themselves (if any action was taken against the PTI protesters) and also used language rude. On the other hand, none of this is in the march of Maulana, "he reminded the prime minister.

Unlike the PPP, the PML-N was not categorical regarding its participation in the "great" Maulana show in Islamabad. The PPP made it clear that it would only provide moral support to the JUI-F protest and its president Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari addressed the participants twice along with Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

Although PML-N's supreme, Nawaz Sharif, had declared that his party would participate fully in the march of Maulana, but it was practically not so. When Maulana's caravan entered last Wednesday, the "thin" participation of the PML-N disappointed the head of the JUI-F.

A PML-N source said a couple of senior leaders at the meeting suggested that the party should support the Maulana no matter what. “This is the right time for the PML-N to put all its weight behind Maulana to pressure the PTI government to achieve its (opposition) objectives. We must not let Imran Khan break free. Withdrawing from this point means strengthening the PTI government, ”suggested one participant.

Published on Dawn, November 5, 2019