LAHORE: While the opposition parties' alliance, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is all set to show its political strength in its public meeting in Gujranwala on October 16, the leaders of the ruling PTI government are gathered in Lahore to counter political narrative of the opposition.
While the opposition has already prepared its line of action in case of arrests, the government is considering options to foil the designs of the opposition, the sources claimed.
Senior analysts Sohail Warriach said in a talk show that the government may arrest the opposition leaders but it would not be fruitful for the government as far opposition's struggle is concerned.
The former PM Shahid Khaqaan Abbasi said they are not afraid of arrests and would not step back from their movement which is to save the country.
The PTI leaders, including Shah Mehmud Qureshi, Fawad Chaudhry, Barrister Shehzad Akber and others, held a meeting with CM Usman Buzdar in which they pondered over political strategy to defuse the opposition's movement.
The sources claimed that it was resolved in their meeting with CM Usman Buzdar to focus on resolving public issues, particularly checking rising inflation. Amid this situation, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday announced that his government would use "all resources at the state's disposal" to bring down food prices starting Monday.
The government was already looking at the causes of the hike in prices, including hoarding, smuggling or a rise in international prices. "From next week we will have our strategy in place and action will begin using all state organizations and resources to bring down food prices," the premier tweeted.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry in a tweet urged political parties to postpone their planned public gatherings for at least three months to stem the second wave of the coronavirus.
Fawad said the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Covid-19 has issued new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), restricting wedding receptions in terms of both number of guests and duration of the function and other events in view of the second wave of the deadly disease. "Political parties while demonstrating a sense of responsibility should postpone their public gatherings for a period of three months," he said. He also urged the opposition to put off their anti-government movement until next year.
On the other hand, the PML-N leader Khurram Dastgir has warned that they will hold the opposition rally scheduled for October 16 in Gujranwala on GT Road if permission is not granted for organising the public meeting at Jinnah Stadium.
Khurram said they gave the application for the second time to get permission but no reply had so far been given by the district administration. He said the rally would be held at every cost, come what may. "Gujranwala is PML-N'S city; the citizens want its security more than you (district administration)," he remarked.
On the other hand, the PML-N has also started making preparations for the PDM rally to be held in Lahore on December 13. To make preparations, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Malik Pervaiz have been nominated as its convenor and co-convenor respectively.
Moreover, Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said on Saturday that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif recovered as soon as he arrived in London and urged him to return to Pakistan now.
Talking to media persons, she said the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif had to undergo heart treatment but he did not receive any treatment. The former PM's decision not to get admitted in the hospital means he is doing fine, she said.
About coronavirus pandemic in the country, she said the government has controlled spread of coronavirus but the people will continue to get infected till there is an effective vaccine. She also urged people to take precautionary measures, wear masks and maintain social distance to avoid imposition of another lockdown.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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