PM Imran terms Lahore rally ‘pathetic’

Shibli says political gathering a complete flop show

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday censured the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) Lahore power show, saying 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”.

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.

Pathetic. PDM spent so much money, time, effort & displayed utter callousness by endangering ppl's lives during COVID19 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.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 13, 2020

 

“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.

Let me once again reiterate: I will never give an NRO. Whatever future plans of further blackmail PDM may have, my message is categorical: There will never be an NRO from my govt no matter what tactics the looters devise.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) December 13, 2020

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.

لائیو: پاکستان ڈیموکریٹک موومنٹ کا لاہور میں جلسہ عام https://t.co/MvsgOjYBQ4

— Pakistan Democratic Movement (@OfficialPDM) December 13, 2020

 

“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.

The minister alleged that the purpose of the PDM rallies was to seek an NRO-like relief, adding that the opposition was not concerned about the well-being of the people.

Shibli declared that the people had rejected the PDM’s narrative, which they had adopted against the national institutions, adding that most of the opposition’s members of parliament were in contact with the government with the intention of joining the treasury benches.

To a question, he said that due to the efforts of the government, all the sectors were moving in the positive direction, including improved national economy, increased exports, enhanced foreign remittances, reduced inflation and current account deficit.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the opposition was not only playing with the people’s lives but also damaging the country’s economy by holding rallies during the Covid19 pandemic.

“After 70 years, the country got an honest leadership in the shape of Prime Minister Imran Khan, however, the PDM did not want the country to progress,” he said while talking to the people of NA156 and NA-157 constituencies in Multan.

Qureshi reiterated that the journey of progress would continue at the same pace. “The opposition cannot deceive the masses on the pretext of hollow slogans and democracy.”

The people, he said, were now politically mature and understood the “tactics” of the opposition. “The opposition is not sincere with the masses as it is holding political gatherings amid the pandemic’s peak,” he said, adding that the ongoing second wave of Covid-19 was severe.

The foreign minister observed that the government was not afraid of the opposition’s public meetings.

PM Imran, he said, has urged the opposition to postpone political gatherings in order to save the people from the pandemic.

“The opposition is holding public meetings only to save [their] looted money,” he said, adding that it wanted to mislead the people. “The people will also reject them in 2023 elections.”

Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed maintained that the residents of Lahore had rejected the PDM’s Minar-e-Pakistan rally, saying that the opposition was trying to get an NRO from the government and had been using different “tactics” for the purpose.

Talking to a private news channel, Saeed said that the opposition had “utterly failed” to organise an impressive show against the government in Lahore, adding that the PDM leadership had adopted an anti-Pakistan narrative to protect their personal interests.

 “(Former premier) Nawaz Sharif, who is an absconder and sitting in London, is trying to malign the national institutions for his personal gains. (PkMAP chief) Mahmood Khan Achakzai is trying to provoke the people against Urdu language,” he said. Saeed commented that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was also using derogatory language during his speeches and had a “controversial” history.

To a question, he maintained that the government was making efforts to protect the lives of the people from the deadly virus and urged the people to follow the Covid-19 SOPs.

Ruling party’s Senator Faisal Javed said that the PTI was not scared of the threats hurled by the opposition parties for en masse resignations from the assemblies.

The political parties representing the PDM have been exposed before the nation after organising public gatherings amid rising Covid-19 cases in the country, he said in an interview with a private television channel.

“The opposition has presented a flop show through the Lahore public meeting, which was organised for personal gains,” he stated.

To a question about halting the PDM’s public meeting, Javed said the “stubborn” attitude adopted by the opposition parties had forced the local administration to avoid stopping the public gathering in Lahore.

He stressed that PM Imran would never give an NRO to the leaders of the PDM. (WITH INPUT FROM APP)