‘No threat to govt from opposition’s long march’

Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar has said there was no threat to the government from opposition’s long march or short march and January 31 will also pass but opposition' claim to resign en masse under the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) will not materialise.

He expressed these views during a meeting with Punjab Minister for Housing Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed who called on him at the Governor’s House on Thursday.

“The PDM may move heaven and earth by holding rallies and protests, but the government will remain in power till 2023,” Sarwar said.

Political Secretary to Governor Mian Kashif Iqbal was also present on this occasion. Political and administrative matters were also discussed in the meeting.

The governor said the government would not fall by the opposition’s rallies and protests. “The opposition’s plan to halt accountability and national development will fail. The government will not back off from its commitment to maintaining rule of law and transparent accountability.”

He said eradication of corruption has become necessary to set the country on the road to progress and the government is committed to rooting out corruption from the country.

Sarwar said that PDM’s agenda of anarchy has been rejected by the people and they stand by the government’s policies. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan is moving forward and will continue to do so despite opposition’s propaganda.”

He said the PDM’s only agenda was to destabilise the country but there was a clear divide among the opposition parties and they were unable to decide on the strategy to keep themselves politically alive.

Provincial Minister for Housing Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed said the opposition parties are looking for NRO but Prime Minister Imran Khan will not give NRO to anyone. The corrupt will have to face accountability as per the law. Prime Minister Imran Khan will not budge an inch from a principled stance on politics.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2021.