Police register FIR against 150 PDM workers

The police filed an FIR against 12 Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders and 150 political workers for violation of the coronavirus Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) during a rally.

During the rally in Multan, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had announced to stage demonstrations on December 6, against the government’s crackdown on opposition workers.

Chanting slogans and holding party flags, more than 300 workers of Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party and JUI-F and other parties walked towards Rawalpindi Press Club on Sunday.

After the rally ended, the Rawalpindi police registered the FIR on the complaint of Hamid Mahmood, a sanitary health inspector of the Rawalpindi Health Department. The PDM leaders nominated in the FIR included PML-N divisional president Dr Ziaur Rehman, Ameer of JUI Rawalpindi, PML-N metropolitan head Malik Ibrar and former mayor of Rawalpindi Sardar Nassem, Express Tribune reported.

Despite a refusal by the district administration to grant permission, the PDM plans to hold a rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on December 13. Already, the PDM has held rallies against the government in Gujranwala, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar and Multan.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan has said although the PDM will not be restricted from holding the rally, but whoever set up the sound system and chairs in Lahore, will have an FIR registered against them.