‘Anti-inflation march’: PML-N leader says protest plan delayed due to NA session

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secretary-information Marriyum Aurangzeb on Thursday said that the decision of rescheduling of the opposition’s “anti-inflation march” from March 24 to 26 was taken due to the National Assembly session to be held on March 25 to initiate proceeding on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Talking to reporters, she said that the decision was purely taken keeping in view the National Assembly session on March 25, adding that the party members of the National Assembly have been instructed to ensure their presence in the House in any situation, as they may face the “baton-holding brigade” of the PTI that have also announced to hold rally in Islamabad on March 27.

She said that the decision about march was taken by the party and announced the rescheduling the other day, adding that the marchers led by PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz and opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz will start their journey from Lahore on March 26.

She said that the marchers would reach Islamabad on March 28, insisting that the delay was only due to the National Assembly session.

“As we know that the party MNAs have already been instructed they may face the goons and baton-holding brigade that’s why we took a decision at the party to reschedule it”, she added.

The PML-N spokesperson also advised Prime Minister Imran Khan that he better hire the services of any reputed goods-packing company with view to help him packing his luggage quickly.

“I have heard that some movement of trucks have already been made, but it’s better he and his ministers now start packing their luggage”, she added.

Marriyum also criticised Prime Minister Imran Khan allegedly for exploiting the people through using the religious card, while on the other hand using “foul language” against his opponents.

Responding to the allegations of “horse-trading” ahead of the National Assembly’s session on no-confidence motion, she said that “horse-trading” was done when PML-N’s MPAs of the Punjab assembly held a meeting with Prime Minister Khan over a cup of tea.

“If there was any horse-trading, it was done in Balochistan when Imran Khan opened the bags of money to the lawmakers. Then it was done during Senate elections,” she alleged, adding that the premier did nothing to address the horse-trading during three and a half years of his government.

She also challenged the prime minister to hold the voting in the House, if he is right in his “false” claims. “The opposition is bringing the no-confidence motion which belongs to the people that should be presented in the Friday’s (today) session after a prayer for a departed member as per the law and Constitution. The law only gives you minimum three day and maximum seven days for vetoing on the no-trust motion,” she added.

She said that every member of the House would go to the House and vote as per the Constitution despite, their tactics of “intimidation and threats”.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022