Opposition's movement against govt an attempt to survive in news: Fawad

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry has said that the opposition's movement against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is nothing but an attempt to survive in the news.

In a tweet on Sunday, Fawad said that the opposition parties have no programme for the country. "Pakistan's opposition is divided having no similarity in ideology," he added.

The minister stated that if one opposition party has representation in one division other has in three, but no party is national party, except the PTI.

"PTI is the only national party which has a national agenda."

Opposition benches condemn hike in petroleum prices

Fawad's remarks come amid an announcement by the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Saturday to hold several anti-inflation protests across the country, which will culminate in the long march towards Islamabad.

The Opposition alliance held a virtual meeting in which it decided to hold protests in Karachi on November 13, in Quetta on November 17, and in Peshawar on November 20.

Opposition announce protest plan

The alliance of nine opposition political parties - Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) - Saturday announced a 'decisive' movement against the government's 'anti-people' policies by holding several rallies in the provincial capitals followed by a long-march on Islamabad.

This was decided during a virtual meeting of the PDM, chaired by its president and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

The PDM announced that it would hold "massive" protest rallies in the provincial capitals - in Karachi on November 13, in Quetta on November 17, in Peshawar on November 20 - that would be addressed by the central leadership of the opposition parties in the PDM.

The last protest rally of the anti-inflation drive would be held in Lahore followed by a "conclusive" long march towards Islamabad - the dates for both would be finalised in the PDM's another meeting to be held on November 11.

PDM announces 'decisive' anti-govt movement

"Now this movement will culminate only by sending [PM] Imran Khan back to his home...this is the movement for getting rid of Imran Khan," PDM secretary-general Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Abbasi said that the meeting discussed in detail the overall political and economic situation of the country, worst inflation, the NAB Ordinance, the "so-called" electoral reforms and other internal and external challenges facing the country.

He said that the meeting strongly condemned the worst inflation in the country and rejected the historic increase in prices of electricity, gas, petrol, flour, ghee, sugar, medicines, and other essential commodities.

He said that the PDM demanded that immediate relief should be given to the people by reversing the hike in prices of electricity, gas, petrol, and other essential commodities.

"The main reason behind the worst inflation is the historic corruption of Imran Khan's government," he said, adding that it was also demanded that the conditions, which the government had agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), should be made public.