Khursheed Shah deplores dual standards over right to protest

He was addressing the media here where he said that farmers and peasants were exercising their right to peaceful protest for their legitimate demands, and strongly condemned the attempts by the Punjab government to thwart it and arrest them.

He said that if Tahir-ul-Qadri comes out to protest for his basic democratic rights, then it sent ripples down the federal government which resorts to brutal crackdown to suppress it and even fires bullets at them.

He also said that attempts are being  made to intimidate Imran Khan over his upcoming march to Raiwind on 30th September. “PPP never even thought about violence in politics,” he said.

While speaking on the sit-in of the Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) being held tomorrow, he said that they have received reports of the arrests of peasants and farmers which they strongly condemn. He urged the government to address the peasant’s grievances and end the brutal crackdown.

He said that the peasants want to make their voice heard in parliament, which is their democratic right. He lamented the autocratic leadership style of the government.