The federal government held a press conference today after political battle began in the federal capital, on Sunday, as opposition leaders met at a five star hotel on the invitation of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for a much hyped multi-parties gathering to devise an anti-government strategy. The meeting resulted in a new alliance by the name of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and a three-phased anti-government "action plan" for the "restoration of the true democracy in the country".

The presser was held by Minister for Information Shibli Faraz, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Planning Minister Asad Umar, and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry. While speaking to the media, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi responded to the highly incendiary speech by deposed premier Nawaz Sharif and asked the opposition not to "drag national institutions into politics". Hitting back at Nawaz's comments about "state above the state", Qureshi said, "It is not good for the country, it is not in Pakistan's interest."

The foreign minister said that the opposition leaders had gathered on Sunday to serve their own interests and tried to politicized the state departments for their own gains. Their accusations has made the neighboring country happy who would like to see our national institutes weak.

Responding to Nawaz's remarks about ineffective foreign policy Shah said that the prime minister had successfully presented the case of Kashmir on international forums. Pakistan is and will remain committed to the cause of Kashmir. Our relations with China and other friendly countries are not sour but better than ever, he added.

'PPP censored JUI-F chief'

The information minister Shibli Faraz, while addressing the press conference, said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif looked 'fit' during his speech at the conference yesterday. Nawaz in his speech raised suspicions about the transparency of election 2018 because he is "not used to a free and fair election", Information minister said and added that he has been elected the prime minister for three times never casted doubts on those elections.

Faraz also touched on the subject of 'censoring the APC' and said that permission was granted by the government to air the conference on TV.

"Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman's speech [was left] but we did not stop his broadcast, the PPP did that."

While responding to the opposition's claim that they will do every thing for the strengthening of democracy, Faraz said:

"They are not strengthening the democracy; they are trying to discredit a political setup which they claim to own."

'Opposition has everything at stake'

The minister for planning Asad Umar said that prime minister Imran at the start of his government's tenure had said that "the opposition has everything at stake ... and when accountability moves forward they will all get together." And added this new opposition alliance was a proof that Khan was right.

Asad said the opposition had left behind a disastrous economy and hoped that "the economic recession they left behind would be enough to bring the government on its knees" but under the leadership of Khan, PTI government brought the country out of the economic crisis.

The planning minister said that the opposition had hoped that the government will fail to tackle the global pandemic:

"...Came the global coronavirus crisis. If you look at the intiial days these leaders had alot of enthusiasm [and] some came running back from London in the hopes that destruction and devastation would cause the fall of Pakistan, and [they] would make that the basis of finishing the government [...] What I found entertaining in yesterday's speech was that the people who did not leave a single thing to criticise in Pakistan, did not mention corona or Covid."

The PPP-hosted opposition gathering on Sunday had resulted in a new alliance by the name of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and a three-phased anti-government "action plan" for the "restoration of the true democracy in the country".

According to the details, the movement will be launched in October and consist of demanding Prime Minister Imran Khan's resignation, countrywide public meetings, demonstrations, rallies and protests in December and a "decisive long march" towards the federal capital in January, 2021.