QUETTA:
The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) kicked off its third power show in Quetta on Sunday amid heightened security measures owing to a threat alert issued by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).
President of the PDM and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz vice president Maryam Nawaz and Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai were said to have reached the stadium. Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and deposed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif are expected to address the gathering via video link.
According to reports, supporters of the opposition’s 11-party alliance had begun converging on Ayub Stadium since early in the day.
Considering NACTA’s security alert, mobile phone services have been suspended, whereas pillion ridding has also been banned in the city. Section-144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) was also imposed in the provincial capital.
More than 4,000 security personnel, including officials from the provincial police force, Frontier Corps and Balochistan Constabulary have also been deployed. A control room has also been set up at the deputy commissioner’s office to monitor the security arrangements in the wake of a possible terror attack.
NACTA had warned that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in connivance with HIAs, had planned to carry out large-scale terrorist activities in Quetta, targeting political and religious leadership.
The Balochistan government had appealed to the PDM leadership on October 23 to suspend their rally in the wake of the security threat. However, the opposition leaders paid no heed to the warning and started gathering in Quetta on October 24.
However, the opposition leaders reached the city a day ago. Addressing JUI-F workers at a local madrassa, Fazl said, “It is the responsibility of the government to provide security for the Quetta gathering. If they cannot provide security, they should go home.â€
In a separate press conference, Maryam Nawaz had also held the provincial government responsible for providing security to the opposition’s jalsa, stating that ‘if something were to happen, they will be held accountable’.
PML-N Balochistan President Gen (retd) Qadir Baloch said that party supreme leader Nawaz Sharif will address the public gathering through video link. Party’s social media team has reached Quetta to broadcast the speech.
Other leaders who arrived in Quetta on Saturday included JUI-F’s Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, PML-N’s Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Capt (retd) Safdar, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Nihal Hashmi, PPP Senior Vice Chairman and former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Awami National Party Central Vice President Amir Haider Khan Hoti and General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain.
Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Balochistan National Party chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal and National Party Central President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch also reached Quetta.
Further, the Balochistan government detained Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement leader MNA Mohsin Dawar when he arrived at the Quetta airport due to a three-month ban on him for delivering anti-government speeches, which will end on October 29. Home Minister Ziaullah Langove confirmed the development.
