MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that rallies and public gatherings are not only a threat to human lives, but also equally damaging for the country’s economy.

Addressing various functions in connection with the public contact campaign in NA-156 and NA-157 constituencies here on Sunday, Mr Qureshi said the government was not afraid of rallies and gatherings, but Prime Minister Imran khan had appealed to the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to postpone its public meetings to save lives of people during the coronavirus pandemic.

“How the people who are organising public meetings despite the severe [second] wave of the coronavirus could be people’s well-wishers?” he asked.

He accused the opposition alliance PDM of playing with the lives of the people by holding its public meetings during the pandemic.

Referring to the opposition’s ongoing agitation, he said: “Those who plundered the masses are again out together to cheat the people with their hollow and false slogans while making an excuse of democracy but people are aware of the reality of their slogans,” he said.

He said after 70 years, the nation found an honest leadership in the shape of Imran Khan who was sincerely working for the people’s progress.

“The opposition is not happy with the country’s progress that is underway. Despite all obstacles, this progress will continue with the same pace,” he added.

“Corruption damaged the country badly and destroyed the institutions, and now when the gang of looters who plundered the country has been made accountable, it is trying to use the people [against the government], but now the people can’t be fooled any more by them,” he said.

He said as the people had rejected “these looters” in the 2018 elections, they would again reject them in 2023 polls.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2020