Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday censured the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) Lahore power show. The PM said that the opposition had displayed “utter callousness” and “endangered” the lives of people by holding the rally during the second Covid-19 wave and termed it “pathetic.”
Prime Minister Imran Khan also directed party leaders to mobilise and respond to the Opposition on every forum.
According to sources, the development came during a meeting chaired by the premier and attend by Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz, Special Assistant to PM on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill on Monday.
Calling the leaders of the PDM “looters”, PM Imran reiterated that he would not grant an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) like relief to the opposition come what may.
“Let me once again reiterate: I will never give an NRO. Whatever future plans of further blackmail the PDM may have, my message is categorical: there will never be an NRO from my government no matter what tactics the looters devise,” the premier said on his official Twitter handle.
He termed the PDM’s Sunday rally “pathetic” and observed that the opposition had exhibited “scant” regard for the citizens’ safety and well-being by holding a public meeting in times of the deadly contagion. “Pathetic. PDM spent so much money, time, effort and displayed utter callousness by endangering ppl’s lives during Covid-19 spike – showing the scant regard they have for citizens’ safety & well-being. All this just to blackmail me into giving them an NRO to save their looted wealth,” the prime minister said in another tweet.
The government lawmakers also declared that the people had rejected the opposition’s narrative. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said the opposition had “failed” to bring out people from their homes against the government during the Lahore public meeting.
Talking to a private news channel, he said, “The PDM’s political gathering in Lahore was a complete flop show as people have badly rejected them.”
The minister said that the opposition was expressing irresponsible and apathetic attitude by holding public meetings during the Covid-19 pandemic and noted that the elected governments could not be toppled through such rallies. He said that the incumbent regime was ready to hold dialogue with the opposition on every issue except on the cases of corruption. “The opposition is using resignations as a political stunt but they are not serious for the purpose and is intentionally playing with the lives of the people by holding meetings during the spread of the deadly virus,” he said.
