Spread of virus from opposition's rallies: Government will use legal tools to protect public: Shibli

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Senator Shibli Faraz responding to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) jalsa in Multan, said that mass gatherings were injustice with the citizens of country even if held by the ruling political party. He was addressing a news conference here on Monday.

He also expressed the inability of the government to contain the opposition from holding public meetings. The minister criticized the leadership of opposition parties for violating the coronavirus SOPs and holding the large assembly even without official permission.

He announced that the government would use legal tools to protect the general public from deliberate attempts by the opposition to spread the virus.

"But the opposition has taken the wrong path," Faraz said, and made a request to the citizens to adopt precautions themselves and not to participate in such gatherings. He gave the example of PDM public rally in Peshawar, and added that the residents of Multan too have shown maturity by not going to these gatherings. The minister even said that a large number of people are lured to these gatherings, who were poor and paid for participating in these rallies.

"But if you look at the participation in a stage set by 11 parties, it is not impressive, that is because these people have lost the confidence of the masses, the PTI alone can gather 10 times that number," he added.

However, responding to a question that even the ruling party had been holding public gatherings in recent past, the minister said that it was injustice with the people even if public gatherings were held by them.

He requested the citizens to take coronavirus pandemic seriously, as its spread and infections were not limited to any particular class or segment. The minister said that the leadership of PPP was telling the people not to fear the infectious virus, but at the same time their leader Bilawal was under quarantine after suffering from Covid-19.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020