Rejecting the ban imposed by the government on large gatherings under the pretext of coronavirus, the PML-N is going ahead with its plan to hold a rally in Mansehra which would be addressed by Maryam Nawaz and other party leaders today, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

Although the district administration did not give permission to organise the event with an argument that the coronavirus is spreading at an alarming rate, the main opposition party is finalising the preparations at the venue.

Posters and banners containing images of Maryam and Nawaz Sharif have been placed around the city which is giving a colourful look. 

The organisers have placed 50,000 chairs in the ground to be used for the rally as local party leaders like Sardar Yousaf have claimed that the rally would be the biggest in Mansehra’s history.  

Meanwhile, Amir Muqam – who is the PML-N Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president – told reporters outside the Peshawar High Court building in the provincial capital that there was no need to hide behind the coronavirus.

He was echoing the sentiments of PML-N and PPP leaders who have rejected the ban, terming it an effort to sabotage the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM).

On Tuesday, PPP Information Secretary Nafisa Shah announced that they would not accept the federal government’s decision to ban large gatherings as the move was aimed at stopping the opposition rallies. 

The events in Peshawar and Multan would go ahead as per plan, Nafisa said at a press conference in Karachi.

Similarly, PML-N Punjab President Rana Sanaullah told reporters in Lahore that the Ant-Corruption Establishment’s recent crackdown on his party members and the ban on political gatherings due to the rise in the coronavirus cases was a drama. The arrests won’t affect anything, he remarked.

Amir Muqam said they were holding the Mansehra rally after the Peshawar High Court allowed them to do so. The PDM public meeting scheduled for November 22 would be held at every cost, the PML-N leader vowed.

He said how they could enter into dialogue with the government which wasn’t legal and they did not recognise the committee formed to holding talks.

Earlier on Tuesday, Maryam had urged the people of Hazara to participate in the rally for ensuring the government could be removed.