PDM will be responsible for a total lockdown: Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan has warned that if his government had to revert to the policy of complete lockdown in view of the rising number of Covid infections, the 11-party opposition alliance – the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) – would be responsible for it.

As the PDM on Sunday defied an order of Peshawar’s district administration by holding an anti-government rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) provincial capital, the prime minister took to the micro-blogging site Twitter to share the some latest stats on coronavirus cases.

“Pakistan's second Covid-19 spike data is of concern,” he wrote, adding that there has been an increase in the number of Covid-19 patients on ventilators in the last 15 days.

The premier noted that the second wave is a global phenomenon which most of the countries are trying to counter by imposing complete lockdowns.

“[However] in Pakistan, the PDM by continuing with jalsas is deliberately endangering lives and livelihoods because if cases continue to rise at the rate we are seeing, we will be compelled to go into complete lockdown and PDM will be responsible for the consequences,” he added.

“[The] opposition is callously destroying people’s lives and livelihoods in their desperation to get an NRO. Let me make it clear: they can hold a million jalsas but will not get any NRO,” he added.

NRO is an abbreviation for the National Reconciliation Ordinance which was a controversial law introduced by former military ruler General Pervez Musharraf to end corruption and terrorism cases against political leaders including the top leaders of the main opposition parties – PML-N and PPP.

Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz also seconded the premier, saying that the opposition rallies are “political brutality” as they risk the lives of the people amid increasing numbers of Covid cases.

In his tweet, the government’s spokesperson said playing with the lives of innocent people and workers for petty political gain exposes the mindset of vested interest groups.

“The culprits who have defamed the state institutions and destroyed the economy are now after the health and employment of the people,” Shibli said, adding that the opposition wants to affect both public health and employment with their irresponsible behaviour.

He said health and safety of the people is the government's top priority. Holding rallies despite court orders is tantamount to breaking the law. Pemra [Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority] should not allow broadcasting such illegal and dangerous activities for the health of the people, he added.

Despite the concerns and warnings, the opposition parties went ahead with their scheduled rally in Peshawar. Commenting on the rally, Shibli in his recorded message said the people of the K-P completely boycotted the PDM’s public gathering.

In a statement, he said, “I appreciate the commendable people of the K-P on this boycott, which shows how politically well-aware they are.”

On the appeal of the PM, he added, the people of the K-P have not only protected themselves from coronavirus staying away from the jalsa but also failed PDM’s agenda.

Shibli said lack of interest and participation in smaller numbers by the people in the PDM public gathering is ample proof of their distrust of the opposition parties’ agenda.

He said the coronavirus is a reality not a fiction, recommending the participants of the PDM gathering to go into self-quarantine in order to ensure protection of themselves and others.

Minister for Science Fawad Chaudhry also demanded that the opposition change their political strategy and hold virtual meetings that are more in line with the government-sanctioned ban on public rallies.

“Power, politics is when one’s life is safe,” he tweeted adding, “If the disease spreads and people’s lives are at stake then what purpose does politics serve?”

On Saturday, the prime minister and federal ministers lambasted the PDM for allegedly playing with the lives of common people by defying a government ban on its public gathering in Peshawar.

Imran Khan had accused the opposition parties of playing with people’s safety, saying that earlier the opposition had favoured a stricter lockdown but they are now defying court orders and holding a rally when Covid-19 cases are on the rise.