PDM rallies will only spread Covid: Rashid

Railways minister says PM ready to talk with opposition on everything except NRO

A key federal minister has claimed that the public rallies under an alliance of 11 opposition parties – the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – will only spread contagious coronavirus disease but will have no effect on the PTI led government, which, he said, will complete its five-year term.

“Imran Khan is not going anywhere due to the opposition’s public rallies, and the PTI government will complete its five year tenure. The public rallies will only cause the spread of coronavirus disease,” said Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid on Friday while speaking to reporters in the federal capital

 “The nation knows that the rallies will have no outcome. The protest movement [against the government] will eventually lead the opposition down a blind alley,” he added

The minister, however, clarified Prime Minister Imran Khan is ready to talk with the opposition on every issue but will never offer them any National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO)-style deal.

"Political parties never close the door for negotiations. However, Imran Khan will never give opposition an NRO – secret reprieve – or a relief in corruption cases," Rashid said.

The minister lambasted the PML-N leaders for propagating an anti-state narrative and said such a narrative could not diminish the peoples' love for the Pakistan Army, “whose brave soldiers are rendering matchless sacrifices to defend their motherland.”

“Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has stated several times that the military is standing by every democratic government,” he added.

The minister said the opposition is accusing the government of rigging the recently held elections in the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) region. “The people of the G-B have rejected the other parties and chose the PTI and independent candidates in the elections.”

Rashid also expressed grief over the sad demise of Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) chief Allama Khadim Hussain Rizvi and prayed for the departed soul. Rizvi died on Thursday after contracting fever during a protest sit-in in Rawalpindi against blasphemous cartoons.

APP WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM NEWS DESK