The Islamabad district administration Monday refused to allow both the federal government and the opposition to hold political rallies in the Red Zone on March 27 in the wake of no-trust move against the prime minister. The administration has allowed the ruling PTI to organise its rally at the Parade Ground and asked the opposition parties to use Sector H-9 as the venue for their power show. The ICT administration was of opinion that since both the government and the opposition were seeking the same venue, there was possibility of a clash between the participants. It also said holding rallies in the Red Zone would also create security concerns. The ruling party has now requested the deputy commissioner to allow its rally to take place at the Parade Ground, says a news report.
Earlier, the PTI had announced that it would hold a “massive power show” at the D-Chowk on March 27 and pull out one million people to the streets to express confidence in Imran Khan.
The ruling party is expected to give a plan of action on the opposition’s no-confidence motion.
Ali Nawaz Awan tweeted that the premier had tasked them with gathering one million PTI activists and supporters for the party’s ‘grand power show’.
“The prime minister, as always, is determined to overcome this crisis,” he added.
To counter the government’s move, the opposition parties had announced a joint public meeting on the Constitution Avenue on March 23 for which the Pakistan People’s Party and the Awami National Party had also been invited.
The date was later changed to March 25 owing to the OIC conference and Pakistan Day Parade in the federal capital.
In a tweet, the PTI said, “The Parade Ground will be more suitable to accommodate the number of people that are expected to participate in the rally.”
Earlier, PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan, too, had tweeted that the D-Chowk would prove to be a “small venue” for what he described would be the “biggest rally in the history of Pakistan”.
