PM Imran slams PDM leadership, says 'they want jalsas not caring for lives of people'

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has criticised the leadership of opposition alliance, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), over deliberately risking lives and safety of the nationals amid a new spike in coronavirus pandemic to seek ‘NRO’, ARY News reported on Sunday.

PM Imran Khan said in his Twitter messages, “They [opposition leaders] think this is their last means of pressuring us for NRO – which will never happen.”

He added that they have never worked a day in their lives and their royal lifestyles are directly dependent on saving their families ill-gotten, illegally acquired wealth through robbing and impoverish the nation.

They think this is their last means of pressuring us for NRO – which will never happen. Having never worked a day in their lives, their “shahi” lifestyles are directly dependent on saving their families ill-gotten, illegally acquired wealth through robbing & impoverish the nation

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 29, 2020

Read: Pakistan’s COVID-19 positivity rate reaches 7.1%

The premier said that the opposition leaders had opposed the federal government over deciding on initiating smart lockdown amid COVID-19 spread to save the poor people from becoming destitute besides save the economy from total collapse.

While pointing out the dual-standards of the opposition leadership, PM Khan said that the opposition leaders had earlier demanded a complete lockdown due to COVID-19 and now they want to hold public gatherings not caring for the lives and safety of people amid a new wave of the virus.

So, when we did smart lockdown to save our poor from becoming destitute & save economy from total collapse, these “leaders” opposed & demanded complete lockdown. Now, with new spike, when we again need smart lockdown, they want jalsas not caring for the lives & safety of people

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 29, 2020

He said, “Problem confronting us in Pak during COVID 19 is of a political leadership that has never gone through any democratic struggle, nor worked with ordinary citizens to understand the problems they confront, nor contributed in any substantive way for betterment of ordinary citizens.”

Read: Multan admin devises plan to tackle any emergency situation

It is pertinent to mention here that the opposition alliance Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had announced to hold a public meeting on November 30 in Multan.

The local administration had denied permission to the opposition parties for the meeting owing to increasing virus cases in the second wave of the COVID-19 in the country.

Read: Those challenging state’s writ to be dealt with iron hand: Awan

Earlier in the day, the Multan administration took control of Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh stadium again besides arresting various Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders and workers belonging to different political parties including Kasim Gillani, the son of ex-premier Yousaf Raza Gillani after they stormed into the venue by removing barriers,

Multan police and administration blocked the central routes of the Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh stadium and removed the tents, chairs and other equipment from the venue of the PDM rally besides deploying additional contingents of security officials.