Motorway was closed for security reasons: Khattak

NOWSHERA: Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak said on Sunday the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)’s public meeting was a flop show.

“The masses have again rejected the group of unemployed politicians,” he said while talking about the opposition’s 11-party alliance public meeting arranged at the Amn Chowk, at the junction of the Dilazak and Ring roads. The federal minister was speaking at a function at Nowshera Kalaan where several political workers announced joining the ruling PTI.

Pervez Khattak was critical of the opposition parties which wanted to send the PTI government packing at all costs.

“The political parties that want to end the PTI government by arranging a gathering of a few thousand are living in a fool’s paradise,” he said. The federal minister said the government would not stop the accountability process as a result of opposition parties pressure which is being mounted to seek relief for their leaders involved in tainted practices.

He said the second wave of coronavirus had hit the country and the number of the infected patients was increasing at a high speed.

“This was the reason that the government had requested the PDM leadership to postpone the planned rally in Peshawar but our request was not entertained,” said Pervez Khattak while accusing the opposition parties of endangering the lives of the people by holding political gatherings.

The federal minister said it was not the time for holding rallies and public gatherings. “If Covid-19 spreads as a result of this irresponsible attitude

of the opposition, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would be held responsible for that,” said Pervez Khattak.

The federal minister defended the closure of the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway but explained that it was done for security reasons, adding the GT Road was kept open.