ISLAMABAD: JUI Chairman Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz have arrived at the PDM sit-in outside the Supreme Court building on Monday.
They set off from the Ministers’ Colony and reached the place of protest together. Asad Mehmood, Akram Khan Durrani, Pervaiz Rashid and Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb were also accompanying them.
Earlier, Maulana Fazl held a meeting with the PML-N leadership. Thousands of workers belonging to the parties forming Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) have camped outside the Supreme Court.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders including Talal Chaudhary, Hanif Abbasi, Atta Tarar and Sardar Awais Leghari reached the Red Zone. Mian Iftikhar of Awami National Party (ANP) also reached the place of the sit-in. Women and children were part of the protest.
The protesters crossed all the barriers and reached the Supreme Court gate and laid a siege to it. The volunteers of Ansar-ul-Islam of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) jumped over the gate and entered the Red Zone.
The container of the PDM leadership was stationed in front of the Supreme Court judges gate. Vehicles with loudspeakers installed on them also entered the Red Zone.
A suspect dressed in Ansar-ul-Islam uniform was caught from the sit-in. The JUI workers also caught a person who had stolen eight cell phones from the sit-in.
Earlier, the workers of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) forced their way into the Red Zone of Islamabad to stage a protest.
Thousands of PDM activists led by JUI workers set aside every hurdle on their way, climbed over the sealed gates and entered the Red Zone. They were also joined by the convoys of PPP and PML-N comrades who were now raising slogans outside the apex court.
The PDM workers broke the cordon laid by the police and the FC troops. Sensing the situation, the authorities have bolstered the security presence outside the judges gate.
JUI chief’s container has also reached in front of the Supreme Court. The PDM workers have gathered outside the judges gate.
All the PDM convoys coming towards the Federal Capital were stopped at Serena Chowk and were not allowed to take their vehicles along. They marched on their feet to reach the Red Zone amid heavy presence of police and FC troops.
Police said participants can walk to their destination as they have installed walkthrough gates at Serena Chowk.
The PDM is staging a big sit-in outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad today to protest the blanket relief given to PTI Chairman Imran Khan by the courts in several cases.
The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam caravans have started reaching Islamabad and a multitude of its supporters have thronged Constitution Avenue.
The government tried to convince the PDM and JUI Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to change the venue of his sit-in and take it to the Red Zone, but the Maulana refused to budge, insisting that his protest would be held outside the SC building at Constitution Avenue.
The parties involved in the ruling PDM alliance including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party have also announced to take part in the sit-in.
PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will address the protest participants through the video link. The JUI caravan from Sindh led by party secretary Allama Rashid Mehmood Somroo and others has reached Sial Service area on the motorway. The caravan is consisted of hundreds of vehicles which was moved from Karachi on Saturday noon.
Meanwhile, a large number of PML-N supporters from Lahore have left for Islamabad to participate in the PDM sit-in. The PML-N rally is being led by Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman and Syed Tauseef Shah. The PML-N supporters are raising slogans in favour of their Qaid Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Big caravans of the coalition partners – PML-N and PPP – are leaving for Islamabad from Gujranwala. A large number of Jialas were standing outside the PPP secretariat in the city. The PML-N and PPP caravans have also headed to the federal capital from Takht Bhai. The PPP rally is being taken out under the leadership of the party’s provincial president Muhammad Ali Shah Bachha. The PML-N rally is being led by the local leadership.
