Govt to allow PDM stage protest rallies, but won’t allow chaos

Opposition wants to put pressure on govt to drop graft cases against their leaders

ISLAMABAD:

The government has decided to allow opposition parties to stage protest rallies anywhere in the country as long as they do not create chaos, The Express Tribune has learnt on the authority of sources.

The decision was taken in a meeting which was convened by Prime Minister Imran Khan to confer with his top aides on the changing political landscape in the country, with particular reference to the upcoming protests of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a coalition of nearly a dozen political parties that has been cobbled together by the opposition to challenge the PTI-led government.

At the huddle, the prime minister is reported to have said that peaceful protest is a democratic and constitutional right of every citizen and his government would not deny the opposition parties this right. However, he added that nobody would be allowed to create chaos in the country under the garb of protest.

He further said that the opposition’s so-called movement is not for the people but instead motivated by the interest of the political elite who are mired in a slew of financial corruption charges. People have no interest in the “save corruption movement” of the opposition parties, he added.

According to sources privy to the meeting, a political committee of the government spelt out its suggestions based on its assessment of the political situation in the country. There was unanimity of views among the participants on how to deal with the situation. They all agreed that the government would not disrupt the rallies and public meetings of the PDM.

However, they said that the opposition parties would have to ensure compliance with the health guidelines and SOPs already put in place by the government across the country to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. And any violation would prompt legal action.

The prime minister, according to the sources, said that the opposition would not be allowed to create chaos in the country under the pretext of protests. He added that the underlying objective of the PDM is to ratchet up pressure on the government to drop corruption cases against their leaders.