Undeclared martial law in place: Fazlur Rehman

BATKHELA: Accusing the government of destroying the country’s economy, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leaders on Monday said the rulers had stolen the public mandate, and the people would snatch their due rights.

In his address to the gathering, PDM President Maulana Fazlur Rahman said that there was no democracy in the country as the rulers deprived the people of their true representation and an unannounced martial law is in vogue in the country. He said that the economy was in shambles owing to the incompetence of rulers. “The government has destroyed the economy like BRT,” he added.

Criticising the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), he said that the anti-graft watchdog could not see the Banigala residence of Prime Minister Imran Khan, which was regularised by paying a paltry amount. He said the foreign funding case of the PTI could not be decided despite the lapse of five years.

The JUI-F chief said the government raised the prices of medicines by 400 percent. “The PDM is striving for the rights of the people,” the Maulana said, adding that lawlessness was on the rise as people were getting killed in broad daylight even in Islamabad.

The Maulana said the nation will now move towards Rawalpindi, rather than Islamabad now. Responding to a statement of DG ISPR of serving tea to the opposition if it came to Rawalpindi, Fazlur Rehman said the army will have to give explanation whether it is neutral or a party in favour of Imran Khan. He said if the military is a party in favour of Imran Khan, then the opposition has the right to record its protest outside the GHQ gate.

“It is not fair that they eat Pappa John’s pizzas and offer just tea to us,” he said in a lighter tone. Addressing the gathering, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that every resident of Malakand demanded the “selected” government to step down. Bilawal said that the slogan of change was a ploy to reach the corridors of power.He said that his party had honoured all the pledges made with the people of Malakand.

The PPP chairman said their struggle would continue till the ouster of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. He said that his party had also faced dictators with bravery. He said they would oust the selected government and restore a true democracy to the country.

“The people of Malakand faced the militants with bravery and did not allow them to gain a foothold in their area,” he said, adding the PTI government did not fulfil a single pledge. He added how tragic it was that the prime minister called the protesting families of the slain coalminers as blackmailers.

According to Geo News, the PPP boss vowed to collectively work to end the regime of "selected puppet" premier. Bilawal said the incompetent rulers damaged the economy and Pakistan had even lagged behind Afghanistan in the race of development. He asked what kind of a “Naya Pakistan” it was where there was unprecedented price-hike. He said the prime minister took U-turns on all issues. He said electricity, gas and POL prices were raised manifold. He said that while the country experienced a blackout, the rulers had not answers.

Bilawal said that the government could not create the promised 10 million jobs and construct five million houses as these were empty pledges to deceive the nation.

The Awami National Party (ANP) leaders Ameer Haider Hoti, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) provincial head Amir Muqam and others also spoke on the occasion.

Bilawal said the struggle launched under the banner of the PDM would continue until the restoration of true democracy, holding of the free and transparent election and sending the incumbent government packing.

Bilawal said that Prime Minister Imran Khan did not know how to run the government as incompetent people were imposed on the nation, who caused immense damage to the country’s economy.

Bilawal said that acts of terrorism and rising inflation had made life miserable for the people. He maintained that the terrorists were regrouping, but the rulers were least bothered to take corrective steps to bring the situation under control.

The PPP chairman said the people were fed up with the government as it did not provide them any relief. APP adds: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz criticised the PDM for adopting undemocratic move against the democratically-elected government.

Talking to a private news channel, he said Maulana Fazlur Rehman had announced to stage a sit-in in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and NAB in a bid to pressurise the national institutions. “Fazl and other party members of the opposition had badly failed to present evidence before NAB and ECP of their assets and money earned through unfair means,” the minister added.

The minister said the tactics being used by the PDM leaders to pressurise the NAB and ECP for casting aside corruption and money laundering cases would fail soon. Shibli categorically said the PTI government would never grant NRO to the leaders of opposition at any cost. “The opposition leaders are not politicians but, in fact, businessmen,” he said.

In reply to a question, the minister said the opposition had no interest in reforming the national institutions. He asked the opposition benches to come forward for the legislation so that the reforms could be made to further improve the system pertaining to the ECP and NAB.