PM Imran terms PDM Lahore public meeting 'pathetic', rules out NRO again

Published December 13, 2020
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday termed the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) Lahore public meeting "pathetic". ─ File courtesy PTI social media
Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday termed the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) Lahore public meeting "pathetic". ─ File courtesy PTI social media

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday termed the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) Lahore public meeting "pathetic".

"PDM spent so much money, time, effort and displayed utter callousness by endangering people's lives during Covid-19 spike, showing the scant regard they have for citizens' safety and well-being," he tweeted.

"All this just to blackmail me into giving them an NRO to save their looted wealth."

"Let me once again reiterate: I will never give an NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance)," the premier said.

"Whatever future plans of further blackmail PDM may have, my message is categorical: There will never be an NRO from my govt no matter what tactics the looters devise."

The PDM had arranged its sixth power show at Minar-i-Pakistan in Lahore today, where the alliance's leadership had blasted the government and establishment. The opposition had termed today's public meeting as a "historic and decisive" one.

The gathering attracted disdain from other government officials as well. Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar raised doubts over the size of the crowd, saying, "even the most sympathetic channels for PMLN/PDM are struggling hard with their camera angles to find a suitably decent crowd size. 11 parties couldn't match the size and junoon of PTI jalsas in Lahore."

Prime minister's assistant Zulfiqar Bukhari alleged that PDM supporters were using pictures of the PTI rally held at Minar-i-Pakistan in 2013 in order to convince people that the turnout at today's public meeting was huge.

Planning Minister Asad Umar also chipped in and said: "In [a] speech in opposition's Karachi gathering, [they] rejected Urdu as the national language, today in a speech Punjabis were declared as the partners of the English. Insulting Pakistan's institutions, repeating Indian narrative in speeches, violating the sanctity of Quaid's mausoleum; what path have they taken to save their stolen wealth?"

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