PM Imran Khan says govt will not hinder Opposition's rallies: sources

 

ISLAMABAD: The federal government decided on Monday not to create obstacles in the next Opposition demonstrations, the first to take place on October 16 in Gujranwala.

The decision was made during a meeting chaired by the prime minister and attended by PTI leaders. According to sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan said: "Peaceful protests and rallies are the right of the opposition."

They will not be allowed to spread hatred in the name of the protests, the sources said, citing the prime minister. Criticizing the anti-government movement that will begin on October 16, the prime minister said that the rallies and protests were to safeguard the interests of the political elite and that it was not driven by the people.

"People have no interest in the Opposition 'save corruption movement'," he said.

On October 5, the alliance of opposition parties, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), had announced that it would hold its first public demonstration in Gujranwala on October 16.

Read more: Pakistan Democratic Movement announces new calendar for anti-government demonstrations

PDM leaders also announced a new schedule of anti-government demonstrations across the country after differences emerged between major political parties on previously announced dates.

PDM Demonstration Calendar:

Gujranwala - October 16

Karachi - October 18

Quetta - October 25

Peshawar - November 22

Multan - November 30

Lahore - December 13

'PM Imran Khan is going nowhere'

A day earlier, the Federal Minister of Railways, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, had said that there is no pressure on the government and that Prime Minister Imran Khan will not go anywhere, and in the least because of opposition protest demonstrations. 

I was speaking on the Geo News program "Naya Pakistan".

He said the opposition has "misunderstood" that Prime Minister Imran Khan will leave power just because of his protests.

The federal minister said that the Opposition will hold rallies and will only help spread the coronavirus in the country, "and there may also be an incident of terrorism."

Rashid warned them that if they try to take the law into their own hands, the law "will lay hands on them."

He said the opposition can hold rallies as it is their democratic right, but the Pakistan People's Party will not accompany them and they will soon lose their support.

The minister further said that all these parties fear Prime Minister Imran Khan, as he "has no corruption or theft charges."