ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Thursday demanded the government to stop crackdown against their workers and leaders across the country.

The PDM in its meeting held in Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s residence also condemned arrests of workers of opposition parties in many cities just before the start of anti-government rallies and asked the government to immediately release their workers.

Talking to media after the meeting, senior leader of Awami National Party (ANP) and secretary information PDM Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that government was desperate due to rallies of the opposition parties. He stated that they had done nothing illegal or unconstitutional but still the government was using cheap means to book and arrest the opposition workers and leaders; adding that they will show their street power once the government removed all the barriers and stopped arrests of the workers. Mian Iftikhar maintained that they must be given the same opportunity as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was given back in 2014 when they had reached the Parliament House to oust former Prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

He claimed that they were protesting for free and fair elections; stating that the desperation of the incumbent government was an indication of opposition’s success and government’s failure.

Talking about the protest held by lady health workers in Islamabad, Mian Iftikhar said that people from different walks of life were protesting against the PTI-government which was a proof that the Imran Khan-led government was incompetent to run the country. Lashing out at the foreign policy of the government, he said that the foreign and internal security policy of the government was a complete failure and now it was the time to get rid of this government through power of the masses of Pakistan.

He maintained that they were against those who were dishonest if they were among the government ranks or opposition ranks, he elaborated. Criticising the government’s stance over the violation of SOPs during the upcoming opposition’s rallies, Mian Iftikhar said that the government did not observe violation of SOPs in their gatherings but the opposition is likely to be blamed for violating SOPs during the anti-government rallies.

It is important to mention here that the opposition is going to hold its first anti-government rally on Friday in Gujranwala and JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman will lead the rally from Lahore towards Gujranwala and PPP’s Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will lead the rally from Lala Musa to Gujranwala.

The PDM meeting attended by all the members of PDM also discussed the arrangements done for the Gujranwala Jalsa.