COVID-19: PDM denied permission for Peshawar rally

PESHAWAR: Amid the rising number of coronavirus cases in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the district administration has denied allowing Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to hold a public gathering on November 22, ARY News reported on Friday.

The COVID-19 positivity rate in Peshawar has crossed 13 per cent mark and allowing public gathering in this situation will ultimately risk the lives of the people, the administration said in a letter dispatched to the PDM leaders.

We cannot allow you [PDM] to hold a public gathering in the city, the letter read.

The PDM had announced to hold a public gathering in Peshawar on November 22.

On the other hand, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has rejected the district administration’s decision and vowed to hold the rally at anycost.

PPP leader Faisal Karim Kundi asked the people and jiyals to get ready for November 22 rally.

On Tuesday, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government had formed a cabinet coordination committee to apprise opposition leaders about rising COVID-19 infections in the province.

The KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan had formed a five-member committee to convince the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to postpone its Peshawar rally owing to the second wave of coronavirus.

Earlier, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman had rejected the ban imposed by the federal government on public gatherings in the country amid rising COVID-19 cases.

“We reject a ban on public gatherings in the guise of COVID-19 pandemic and they would be held as per schedule,” the JUI-F chief had said adding that the incumbent rulers are used to rigging and their tactics are aimed at pressurizing the opposition leaders.