PDM's stage is a hotbed of anti-Punjab parties, says PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry

• Fawad says Opposition's stage a hotbed for anti-Punjab parties
• Federal minister calls out 'so-called nationalist' parties

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday lashed out at the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), alleging that the Opposition's stage is a hotbed for the anti-Punjab parties.

The federal minister, known for his blunt remarks against the Opposition parties, said that the Punjabis constitutes half of Pakistan's population.

Fawad claimed that "so-called nationalists have swindled billions of rupees and abuse Punjab to deceive their supporters". 

"On average, Rs400 billion are transferred to Balochistan every year. Balochistan's population is just 10 million, where did the money go?"

WATCH: Maryam Nawaz speaks Sindhi in Larkana

Fawad's comments come a day after the leaders of the 11-party Opposition alliance gathered in Larkana to mark the 13th death anniversary of former premier Benazir Bhutto. 

The power show saw speeches by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz while PPP co-chair and Benazir's husband, Asif Ali Zardari, addressed the gathering virtually. 

JUI-F's Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, PkMAP's Mahmood Khan Achakzai and JUP leader Awais Noorani also addressed the crowd.

The PDM once again asked Prime Minister Imran Khan "to step down" or face the movement's long march to Islamabad with the aim to "dethrone him". Bilawal said that if by January 31, the premier does not resign, the jiyalas (party loyalists) will march down to the capital and "drag him off his seat".

Read our coverage of the PDM jalsa in Larkana here.

This is not the first time Fawad has accused PDM for harbouring an "anti-Punjab" narrative. 

During the Lahore jalsa, PkMAP chief Achakzai had accused the people of Lahore for siding with the British along with Hindu and Sikh communities during the pre-partition era. "I am not here to accuse anyone, but I am sorry to say that the people of Lahore tried to occupy the Afghan territory together with the British, Sikhs and the Hindus," Achakzai had said.

Achakzai's comments garnered strong response from the incumbent government including Fawad, who said the PkMAP leader is "not only anti-Pakistan himself but his father, Samad Khan Achakzai, also worked for the Congress during the pre-partition era"

"He came to Lahore only to speak against Punjab," said the federal minister.