PM Imran says will give protesters food supplies but not NRO

GILGIT: Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an indirect message to the opposition-led Azadi March protesters, said on Friday that he will even send food and other supplies to the participants, but will not grant any concession under the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).

Addressing the Azadi Parade on the occasion of 72nd Independence Day of Gilgit, the prime minister reiterated that he will not step down from his post by resigning. 

The prime minister, who had set up a seven-member government committee to hold talks with opposition ahead of the march, targeted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mehmood Khan Achakzai in his speech at a gathering.

Related: Shehbaz Sharif addresses Azadi March, says ‘tabdeeli is here now’

The prime minister used the occasion to highlight the Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir where Narendra Modi government had imposed a curfew for three months now.

He reiterated his support for people of Kashmir and said no one can stop occupied Kashmir from becoming independent.

"I will not leave Kashmiris alone, I fill fight their case", he said. "Nobody can stop Kashmir from becoming independent."

The prime minister added he would continue to raise the issue of Kahsmir across the world as the ambassador of Kashmiris.

Paying tribute to people of Gilgit-Baltistan, he said they fought a war to win their freedom.

"The people of Gilgit-Baltistan would have also become victims of Modi's oppression if they had not fought the war for their independence," he said.

The prime minister further said, "A Muslim does not bow before anyone but Allah," he said adding that two superpowers came to their knees before Muslims within a decade.

"Pakistan is the only country which came in to being in the name of Islam," he said adding that the country would become a Madina like state.

"We have to follow the principles of state of Madina," PM Imran said. 

Speaking about the natural beauty of Gilgit-Baltistan, he said the region was matchless in the world.

He said many tourist spots have been opened in the area to promote tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan which he said was the gateway of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).