A local court in Multan on Thursday granted bail to former MNA Ali Musa Gilani – son of former premier Yousaf Raza Gilani – and other opposition leaders and workers who were arrested a day earlier, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

Police had made these arrests over organising an unauthorised rally and interfering in performing official duties while citing the coronavirus spread as the reason.

As a result, the officials at Chehlak Police Station nominated 25 persons, including all the four sons of Gilani, along with 50 unidentified people in the case under Section 147, 149 and 186 of The Punjab Infectious Diseases (Prevention and Control) Act.

On Thursday, a large number of PPP workers gathered outside the courtroom before Gilani as well as former MPA Malik Arshad Raan, Rana Sajjad Hussain, Rao Sajid, Arif Shah and Ahmed Gujjar were presented before the area magistrate, Jawad Zafar.

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Later, they celebrated the court verdict and chanted slogans in favour of their party and against the government.

The arrests were made as the PPP organised a rally on Wednesday afternoon against the registration of a case against the PDM leaders over the charges of making an attempt to enter the Qasim Bagh Stadium – the venue selected for November 30 rally.

As the protesters reached outside the Lahori Gate Police Station, Abdul Qadir Gilani said they were not afraid of arrests and dared the administration to detain them.

Reacting to the court decision, Ali Kasim Gilani thanked the people for their support.

https://twitter.com/KasimGillani/status/1331838424060473345 

The PDM has already made it clear that the Multan rally would be held at every cost and the arrests cannot affect their morale. In this regard, all the component parties of the opposition alliance have directed their workers to get ready for the event.

JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman will reach the city on November 28 (Saturday) via motorway from Sukkur. 

It all started when the police registered a case against PML-N and PPP leaders and workers on Tuesday with Ali Kasim, Abdul Qadir, Sheikh Tahir Rashid, Javed Siddiqui and Abdul Wahid Arain among the 30 persons accused of breaking and stealing the lock at the stadium’s main entrance and trying to stop officials from performing their duties.

According to police, the nominated persons fled the scene after the staff and security guards offered resistance to them and they are conducting raids to arrest them.

In his reaction, Kasim said the Punjab government had “registered a bogus FIR” against them “based on false and ridiculous charges”.

https://twitter.com/KasimGillani/status/1331334938394849282

In a series of tweets, he said “the selected rulers” wanted “to fight democratic, peaceful opposition with a police state” but “they will fail” just like those in the past.

Kasim’s claim certainly carries weight as he shared a tweet posted by a Twitter account associated with the Gilani family which shared a footage of Rohi TV –  a sister organisation of 24NewsHD. His retweet also contained an additional video clip.

https://twitter.com/KasimGillani/status/1331338769614647296 

As seen in the video clip, the tweet said Kasim, the chief coordinator of PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) committee for the Multan rally, as well as Ali Haider Gillani, Abdul Qadir Gillani, Abdul Rehman Kanju, Sheikh Tahir Rashid Abdul Wahid Arain and others visited the venue in connection with the planned November 30 rally.

https://twitter.com/gillanihouse_MC/status/1331338203123625992 

On the occasion, the opposition leaders also talked to the Rohi TV as the PDM has vowed to go ahead with the planned public gathering which is fifth in the series of similar events after the show of power in Gujranwala, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar.