Pakistan PM Imran Khan forbids further PDM rallies

Islamabad, Nov 30: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that his government would not permit Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to hold public rallies any further in Multan and other cities. He has mentioned coronavirus as the reason to deny permission to the opposition rallies and meetings.

 

The PDM has so far held four public meetings against the Imran Khan govt in Gujranwala, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar, whereas two are scheduled for Nov 30 in Multan and Dec 13 in Lahore. There has been a severe confrontation between Pak's Punjab government and multiparty opposition alliance, over holding a protest public meeting in Multan by the latter, with the former determined to block it with force.

 

Police has reported that at least around 200 workers of PDM constituent parties have been arrested and raids are being conducted to arrest more. Meanwhile the opposition alliance PDM's Multan rally on Nov 30 will be politically significant due to the presence of the daughters of two former Prime Ministers.

 

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) founder Nawaz Sharif's daughter and party Vice President Maryam Nawaz Sharif and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's youngest child, Aseefa Bhutto Zardari will be participating in the Multan Jalsa on Nov 30.

 

The protests have been vital in increasing discontent among the Pakistani awam against the Naya Pakistani PM Imran Khan and have been a significant problem for the PM. In order to curb the growing discontent, the PM has now opted to forbid PDM from organizing further rallies and has called the cause to exempt the rallied to be increasing cases of COVID 19.