Punjab chief Buzdar says opposition 'playing with lives' ahead of Lahore rally

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister of Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab, said on Saturday the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was playing with people’s lives by continuing with their Lahore rally on Sunday, despite the country gripped by a second wave of the coronavirus.
The PDM is an 11-party opposition alliance that is holding nationwide rallies as part of a campaign to oust the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan and call for early elections.
“Playing with the lives of citizens in the current coronavirus situation is not reasonable and cannot be permitted,” Usman Buzdar said, while speaking to media.
“You cannot justify this kind of gathering... they are not being held anywhere in the world. What is the emergency?” he continued.
As of Saturday, Lahore’s positivity rate for COVID-19 is over 4.5 percent. Out of a total 71 deaths over the last 24 hours, Punjab had the highest rate of fatalities in the country.
The National Counter Terrorism Authority has also warned of a possible terrorist attempt in Lahore on Sunday.
The rally will be held in the grounds of the historic Minar-e-Pakistan monument. Arrangements for the gathering are underway and various roads and neighborhoods in the area have been sealed off for security, local media reported.
The PDM has said the rally on Sunday will mark the end of the alliance campaign’’s first phase.’
On Friday, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari ruled out dialogue with the government.