Total lockdown if corona multiplies: PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday said the PDM would be responsible for consequences if they continued with their public gatherings despite a COVID-19 spike, and the government was forced to go for a lockdown.

In a series of tweets, the prime minister said the opposition was callously destroying people’s lives and livelihoods in their desperation to get an NRO. He said the opposition could hold a million jalsas but there would be no NRO for them.

The prime minister noted, “Opposition is callously destroying people’s lives & livelihoods in their desperation to get an NRO. Let me make it clear: they can hold a million jalsas but will not get any NRO.

“In Pakistan, the PDM by continuing with jalsas is deliberately endangering lives & livelihoods because if cases continue to rise at the rate we are seeing, we will be compelled to go into complete lockdown & PDM will be responsible for consequences,” he cautioned.

The prime minister maintained that he did not want to take measures like a lockdown that would start hurting the economy, which at the moment was showing the signs of a robust recovery.

“Unfortunately, the opposition’s only goal is NRO at whatever cost to the lives of people & the country's economy,” he noted. “Pakistan's second COVID-9 spike data is of concern: Increase in Covid patients on ventilators in last 15 days: Peshawar 200%, Multan 200%, Karachi 148%, Lahore 114%, Islamabad 65%. Multan & Isb Covid ventilators capacity utilisation 70%. Across the world there is a second spike & complete lockdowns in most countries,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz Sunday claimed the savvy people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had thwarted the anti-public agenda of PDM by staying away from their public meeting in Peshawar.

Giving his reaction to the PDM’s event, Shibli paid tribute to the zealous people of KP and said by boycotting the meeting, the people had proved that they were politically savvy. “The people of KP protected themselves from the corona on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s appeal and they also thwarted the anti-people agenda of the PDM. The low interest and participation of the people in the meeting is a clear expression of the people’s distrust in the opposition,” he claimed.

The minister emphasised that the corona pandemic was a fact, not a myth, and the opposition’s insistence on meetings despite the court order was a reflection of its arrogance and hostility towards the people.

He contended that the opposition always preferred to cast over respect for law and public health. “I ask the participants to quarantine themselves, take care of themselves and others,” he said.

Earlier, in tweets, the minister said that it was political brutality and cruelty to risk the lives of the people in the grave dangers of corona and noted that playing with the lives of innocent people and workers for petty political gain exposed the mindset of vested interests.

“The culprits who have discredited the state institutions and destroyed the economy are now pursuing public health and employment. They want to affect both public health and employment with their irresponsible behaviour. These people will be held accountable for corruption,” the minister contended.

He emphasised that holding public meetings after court orders tantamount to breaking the law and that Pemra should not allow telecast of such illegal and dangerous public health activities. The minister said, “The health and safety of the people is our top priority.”

Shibli Faraz said he was saddened by the death of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif's mother. He prayed that Allah Almighty grant her a high position in Jannah and grant patience to the bereaved family. Federal Minister for Defense Pervez Khan Khattak Sunday said Prime Minister Imran Khan never wanted to stop the Pakistan Democratic Moment (PDM) from holding rallies but the reason was of the second wave of Corona in the country.

He said this in a joining ceremony at Nowshera Kalan in which PML-N stalwart Ghaffar Khan joined the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) along with his relatives and friends. He said if the outbreak of Coronavirus spreads, the entire responsibility will lay with the opposition parties.

“We have also suspended the ongoing public campaign and large rallies for the by-elections but the opposition is killing the people for the seat of power to hold public meetings in this critical situations.

He said the PDM’s rally in Peshawar had proved to be the biggest flop show in the history and the people rejected the show of eleven parties. “The parties that started the movement to overthrow the government with a few thousand people live in the fool’s paradise.”

Special Assistant to the Punjab Chief Minister (SACM) on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan Sunday said the people had totally rejected the treacherous narrative of the opposition.

She expressed these views while addressing the media here. She said the opposition’s only agenda was to create chaos and unrest in the country. She said those who filled their coffers by plundering and looting the country could not hoodwink the people of Pakistan anymore.

She said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the government was making every possible effort to end the hereditary politics and the day was not far away when the dignified people of Gujranwala will be free from political slavery.