Sheikh Rashid terms PDM’s decision to hold march on Pakistan Day irresponsible

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Tuesday termed the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)’s decision to hold a march on Pakistan Day an extremely irresponsible move.

“The armed forces stage a national parade on this day which is attended by citizens, ambassadors and various delegates,” he said in a series of tweets.

The interior minister said Islamabad was on high alert for the parade and some roads were closed two or three days in advance. He urged the PDM to move the demonstration to April.

پریڈ کی تیاری کے حوالے سے دارالحکومت اسلام آباد کو سکیورٹی الرٹ پر رکھا جاتا ہے۔ تیاری کے لئے بعض راستے دو تین روز قبل بند بھی کردئیے جاتے ہیں –

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ایسے وقت پر مارچ کی کال ملک دوستی نہیں۔ مناسب ہوگا کہ اگر پی ڈی ایم مارچ کی کال اپریل میں لے جائے
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— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) December 6, 2021

Read more: PDM announces long march on March 23

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib also criticised the opposition for calling for a march on Pakistan Day.

He said those who had announced the protest march on the day, actually wanted to harm national the solidarity.

Farrukh Habib said the opposition’s alliance had no public agenda and they only wanted to save their leaders’ ill-gotten money.

Meanwhile, addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said everyone had the right for peaceful protest; however, the opposition needed to review its decision to hold protest on that date.

The minister expressed confidence that the government would be able to control inflation in the coming months.

Read more: PDM gears up for anti-govt long march, mass resignations

Condemning the tragic Sialkot incident, he said the law would take its course against the culprits involved in the incident.

He said the media had an important role to curb extremism in society. He said the extremist elements should not be given coverage by the media.

He urged the society to collectively fight the menace of extremism in the country. He said every citizen had a responsibility to raise voice against extremism and terrorism.