Quetta (Staff Report/Agencies): The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) held its third anti-government power show in Quetta’s Ayub Stadium on Sunday.
Addressing the public gathering at Quetta jalsa, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz said that the time has come to change the fate of Pakistan. She said the sentiments of Pakistanis were hurt after depictions of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) were projected onto government buildings in France.
The PML-N vice president asked the people to raise their hands and record their protests against such disrespectful actions.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who addressed the rally via video link, said, “No matter which province, the people want freedom and a democratic government. They want freedom from poverty and unemployment, to be able to think for themselves and breathe.”
Discussing the issue of Captain (retd) Safdar’s arrest in Karachi, Bilawal said: “I salute Sindh police who refused to be a Tiger Force of Prime Minister Imran Khan.” He said PM Imran was trying to turn all law enforcement agencies including ISI and Pakistan Rangers into his tiger force.
PDM chief JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said he strongly condemned Karachi incident. The incident was against of our cultural values, he added.
The Balochistan government deployed more than 4,000 security officials from police, Frontier Corps (FC) and other forces for the PDM rally.
The Quetta jalsa was the third anti-government power show of the 11-party alliance. The first and second rallies were held in Gujranwala and Karachi.
The next jalsas of the PDM will be held in Peshawar, Multan, and Lahore on November 22, 30, and December 13, respectively.
On the other hand, at least three people lost their lives and several others were injured in an explosion occurred in Quetta’s Hazarganj area on Sunday afternoon.
According to police sources, an improvised explosive device (IED) was planted in a motorcycle.
The blast took place as the 11-party anti-government alliance held its power show.
It is pertinent to mention here that, he National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) had issued a threat alert for Peshawar and Quetta, suggesting a strict security measures in both the two cities to avoid any untoward incident.
A statement issued by the authority says that the banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is planning terrorist activities in Quetta and Peshawar. The TTP aims to target religious and political parties in bomb attacks and suicide bombings, it added.
It said that acting on such reports, on October 21, a terror plot for Balochistan was foiled, adding that during the operation, conducted in Qamar Din Karez, eight explosive devices were recovered.
“This material was to be used for attacks in Quetta and Peshawar,” NACTA said.