Despite the refusal by the district administration of Swat to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an opposition parties’ alliance, to hold a public gathering in the city on Sunday (July 4), preparations are still underway as flags of the parties forming the alliance have been hoisted around grassy ground, the jalsa’s venue, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Saturday.

On Saturday, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s brother, Maulana Ataur Rehman, who is also JUI-F Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Ameer besides being organiser of the event, visited the venue and inspected the arrangements.

Stage is ready while chairs have also been placed at the venue.

Around 1, 000 volunteers of Ansarul Islam, a militant outfit of JUI-F, will provide security to participants of the jalsa while PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz President Shehbaz Sharif, who is also Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, former prime minister and PML-N leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Mehmood Achakzai, Aftab Sherpao, Owais Noorani and others would address the event.

Swat district administration had yesterday (Friday, July 2) refused to give a green signal to the PDM to hold the public gathering, citing security risks to the alliance’s leadership, particularly to that of JUI-F.

Shehbaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will stay at Malam Jabba.

PML-N leader Ameer Muqam had told media a few days ago that Shehbaz would be brought to the venue in a rally while Maulana Fazl would lead a rally to Swat from Katlang Interchange.

Sources in the PDM had told 24News that people from adjoining cities of Mardan such as Peshawar, Swabi, Nowshera and Charsadda would merge into the JUI-F chief-led rally at Katlang Interchange in the form of small processions.

Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri will lead a rally from Buner while Asad Mehmood, son of Maulana Fazl, will lead a rally from Matta, Swat.

Reporter Sajid Baloch