Shafqat Mahmood slams Fazlur Rehman's 'use of madressah students' to fill up PDM's rallies

Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood, in a tweet on Sunday, slammed Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for using madressah students to fill up the alliance's "failed rallies", saying the move is "condemnable".

"I hope that the [relevant organisations] take note of this practice and save the students from being used as fodder to fuel their politics," he said.

The PDM has been organising rallies since October with a view to oust the government, with the latest one held in Bahawalpur today, where many youth holding the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl flag were seen.

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At a past occasion, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry had issued a similar statement, criticising the PPP and PML-N for making use of religious parties to lend impetus to the Opposition's cause.

Read more: Opposition's 'Pakistan incitement movement' about to fizzle out before taking off: Fawad Chaudhry

It is "Pakistan's misfortune that PML-N and PPP today have to seek support of extremist groups for their politics", he said.

He further criticised the Opposition for "looking to madressah students for their politics" and to ramp up their numbers.

Madressahs across the country have been shut down till January 10 as the country fights the second wave of the coronavirus.