World News | Pak Provincial Govt Refuses to Permit PDM to Hold Anti-govt Rally

Peshawar, Nov 20 (PTI) The provincial government in northwest Pakistan on Friday refused to allow the newly-formed Pakistan Democratic Movement, an alliance of 11 Opposition parties, to hold its scheduled anti-government rally here on Sunday, citing a sudden spike in coronavirus cases in the region.

Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through Deputy Commissioner of Peshawar. The Commissioner's office formally conveyed its decision of not allowing the PDM to hold the rally on November 22.

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In a short statement, it said that the second wave of coronavirus has taken an alarming shape in Peshawar.

"We have to protect the lives of the people first. Therefore, the Opposition parties cannot be allowed to hold the rally at the cost of peoples' lives,” it said.

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Responding to the government's decision, central secretary information of the Pakistan Peoples Party Nafeesa Shah said the PDM rally will be held as per its schedule on November 22.

Selected rulers will not be allowed to hide behind the COVID-19 pandemic, Shah said.

On September 20, the leaders of 11 major Opposition parties announced the formation of the PDM and launch of a three-phased anti-government movement under an "action plan" starting with countrywide public meetings, protest demonstrations and rallies before a "decisive long march" towards Islamabad in January 2021.

The Opposition leaders had announced that they would use all political and democratic options, including no-confidence motions and en mass resignations from the parliament to seek "the selected prime minister's resignation and an end to the role of the establishment in politics."

They also issued a 26-point declaration in the form a resolution containing various demands, including "end of establishment's interference in politics", new free and fair elections after the formulation of election reforms with no role of armed forces and intelligence agencies.

The demands also included the release of political prisoners, withdrawal of cases against journalists, implementation of the National Action Plan against terrorism, speeding up of the projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and across-the-board accountability under a new accountability law.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)