ISLAMABAD, Nov 29 (APP): Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed Sunday said Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership was frustrated after defeat in Gilgit-Baltistan elections and failure of their public rally in Peshawar.
Addressing a press conference here, the minister criticised the duplicity of opposition and said that those who were advocating complete lockdown during the first wave of coronavirus were now organizing public rallies in defiance of NCOC directives.
Murad Saeed said the masses have rejected the PDM as they knew fully well that when in power, the PPP and PML- N did nothing for their welfare, rather they stuffed their own coffers with ill gotten money and now the aim of so called protest movement was to get concessions from the government.
He urged the opposition to stop the cruel joke with the lives of the poor people and postpone their political rallies in the larger national interest. He said the opposition had no interest in protection of people’s lives or revival of economy as they wanted to do politics on these both issues.
He said Pakistan succeeded to defeat the first wave of coronavirus due to effective strategy of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said big economies and modern health infrastructures collapsed in the world but Pakistan government with the cooperation of masses and efforts of doctors and para medical staff successfully protected lives and livelihood of the people.
He reminded the opposition parties that they had ruled the country for four decades but failed to improve health care facilities and left the economy in a shambles. He said instead of feeling ashamed for their failures, they had tried to blame the PTI government for poor economy and frail health infrastructure.
He said that entire world had appreciated Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for effective handling of coronavirus pandemic by taking timely decisions and introducing the concept of smart lock down but the opposition had no moral courage to acknowledge this fact.
He said the opposition wanted to protect themselves from corona but endanger lives of the masses by holding public rallies. He said the participants of an event at Bilawal House were asked to show certificate of having no coronavirus. Similarly almost all members of Sharif family including Nawaz Sharif, his sons Hussain and Hassan, his son in law, Shahbaz Sharif’s son Salman and Ishaq Dar were in London but they were hellbent to play with the lives of poor people by organizing public meetings.
Moreover, he said that PPP and PML-N had imposed lock down in Sindh and Azad Jammu and Kashmir respectively but in the areas not ruled by them, they were endangering people’s lives by organizing public meetings which was criminal.
He said that at the time of outbreak of coronavirus Pakistan had shortage of face masks, sanitizers, personal protection equipment but within three months not only it met its domestic needs by local production but also started exporting the same and credit for this achievement goes to the present government.
He said the prime objective of PDM’s public gatherings was to escape accountability and protect their ill-gotten money but the government would not budge to such pressure tactics.
Murad said it was unfortunate that people’s entry in Bilawal House for attending a private party was linked to the production of a coronavirus negative test report, but there was no such concern when it came to PDM’s gatherings where the standard operating procedures (SOPs) were openly flouted, endangering people’s lives.
Murad was of the view said that the reason why people of Gilgit Baltistan had rejected the opposition parties in elections and preferred PTI over them was that they knew fully well that he (PM Imran Khan) was the only political leader who could solve their problems amicably.
He said the people know that Imran Khan has revived the ailing economy and industrial sector has got a new lease of life and job opportunities were being created for them. He said that the government launched incentive package for construction sector and provided assistance to 16 million people living below poverty line through Ehsaas programme.
The minister paid tributes to the services of doctors, nurses and paramedics, National Command and Operation Centre and the media for creation of awareness among the masses. He expressed the confidence that following the guidelines given by the government the Pakistan would emerge victorious in the second wave of coronavirus.
