Islamabad – Staff Reporter:
PML-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz alleged that Prime Minister Imran Khan had received funding from Israel and India as she addressed the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s protest rally in Islamabad.
11 Opposition parties, under PDM’s banner, protested outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) office against delayed proceedings in the foreign funding case against PTI.
Addressing the protest rally, Maryam said that the person who was blaming others for theft “turned out to be a thief himself”.
“He (PM Imran Khan) has attempted to delay the proceedings 30 times. If you weren’t involved in theft, then why did you ask for the proceedings to be delayed?” she asked.
Maryam further alleged that “if a person is taking funds from the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) workers, then he will ultimately pray for Modi’s success”.
The ECP failure has become a “punishment” for the people, she said, asking that when the Results Transmission System (RTS) was disrupted, why did the ECP not take notice.
Slamming the ECP, she said that if an “incompetent” person was made the ruler by “robbing people’s votes”, then why did the institution not speak up.
“Inflation is rampant today, [petrol prices are at shockingly high rates] and the ECP [cannot be absolved of blame],” she added.
PDM chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman, PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal, PPP’s Raja Pervez Ashraf, PKMAP’s Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Akhtar Mengal addressed the crowd one by one.
Imran Khan ‘illegally imposed on Pakistan’ — Ahsan Iqbal
Addressing crowd, Ahsan Iqbal said PM Imran Khan was “illegally imposed” on the country. He slammed the government over economic crisis and policies. “It is time the selected government is sent packing.”
‘People want supremacy of Constitution’ — Akhtar Mengal
Balochistan National Party – Mengal (BNP-M) chief Akhtar Mengal, a former ally of the PTI-led government, said that the nation wanted supremacy of the Constitution.
“The people want the supremacy of Constitution — which this country stands on,” Mengal said.
The BNP-M chief, talking about the country’s progress, said that Pakistan would not be able to move forward unless equal rights are ensured to the people.
‘PM Imran Khan should be disqualified’ — Aftab Sherpao
Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao said that even after six years, PM Imran Khan was still unable to provide details of his foreign findings.
“Why did you (PM Imran Khan) take several dates from the ECP?” he asked. “He should be disqualified under Article 62/63.”
Sherpao said that he aspired that a government should be formed that is according to the people’s wishes.
Security beefed up
Prime Minister Imran Khan directed his government to allow the PDM to protest outside the ECP office. Two platoons of Punjab Rangers have been deployed along with police personnel around the ECP office and main entrance with barbed wire.
The government has beefed up security around the Commission’s building to avoid any untoward incident with Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed reviewing security and is personally monitoring the situation from the Control Room.
Ahmed said this was the first time that the government was allowing such a demonstration on the Constitution Avenue – red zone of the federal capital. “I hope the Opposition parties hold a peaceful protest,” he stressed.
A day earlier, the interior minister had warned the Opposition parties to not take law into their hands during the protest or they would be responsible for the consequences. He said Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been on high alert since December 15 with at least seven terror threats issued by NACTA.
Why is PDM protesting?
The Opposition alliance is protesting against the delay in the proceedings against the Imran Khan-led PTI in the foreign funding case pending before the ECP for six years.
“Decisions against elected prime ministers are given in a few months’ time but verdict against a selected premier has been pending for over six years,” said PDM chief.
“Foreign funding case is the biggest scandal in Pakistan. Imran Khan has amassed millions in the name of party funds. He took the mother of all NROs to create political instability in the country.”
The JUI-F chief claimed PM Imran Khan used charity funds for personal business and to spread chaos in the country.
