ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday flayed the opposition parties for their anti-government protests, saying 'they should not become pawn at the hands of anti-Pakistan elements'.

Talking to journalists outside parliament house, he said that 'he is not skeptical of the opposition's intention, but 'there are people in his party who, think your anti-state narrative is not serving the country, so there is a need to be careful'.

He said that Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) - an alliance of 11 opposition parties - must not speak the language of the anti-state elements as it neither good for the country nor for fragile economy. He said that the novel coronavirus is once again surfacing across the globe, adding the second wave of the deadly virus may also hit the country due to these protests which would be detrimental for the country particularly the economy. He continued that the government fully allowed the opposition to hold rally in Gujranwala, but whatever they said at the rally was too much which has created rift in their own ranks and files.

"These people are becoming the pawns at the hands of the anti-Pakistan elements, which is in no way going to serve any purpose. This is what their people [PDM] feel as any narrative against the state is not acceptable,' he added.

About the protests of the opposition during Tuesday session of the National Assembly, he said that disrupting the proceedings of the house, saying protest is their right but one should avoid from opposition for the sake of opposition as it is quite harmful for the system.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020