Chaudhry Shujaat warns govt, Opposition against holding public gatherings

• Shujaat urges government, Opposition to postpone their public gatherings.
• PML-Q president warns country's internal and external enemies could take advantage of prevailing situation.
• "PTI public meeting in Islamabad is not meant for confrontation with any political party," responds Fawad Chaudhry.

ISLAMABAD:PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Tuesday has urged the government and the Opposition to postponetheir public gatherings as theeconomic and political situation cannot afford it.

Calling it a "dangerous" confrontation as it could have economic repercussions for the country, the PML-Q president warned that the country'sinternal and external enemies could take advantage of the prevailing situation to fulfil their nefarious designs.

Talking to journalists, Shujaat said: “People are worried due to the ongoing number game between the government and the Opposition as well as the public gatherings taking place in the country."

“The Opposition's politics is reliant on public meetings,” he said, adding that it is not appropriate for the government to hold public gatherings in retaliation.

Shujaat warned that political competition can create anarchy and chaos in the country, as he urged both sides not to show their workers the path of provocative politics.

Without making it a matter of ego, both sides should take part in the polling on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan, he advised the PTI and the Opposition.

'PTI does not engage in political extremism or confrontation'

Reacting to the PML-Q’s president's statement, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the purpose of the PTI holding public meetings in Islamabad is not meant for confrontation with any political party.

Taking to his Twitter handle, the minister said that the PML-Q president is a dignified personality and the prime minister always has regard for him.

“We do not engage in political extremism, nor do we believe in confrontation,” he added.

The foundation of the PTI’s politics, he said, was democracy and the opinion of the people was paramount to it.

The minister said that if the Opposition wants to hold a peace rally, then the government would welcome it and will provide all kinds of facilities.

In a democracy, public opinion was the real decision, and public meetings were an important means of expressing that opinion, he added.