LAHORE: The interior minister Sheikh Rasheed lashed out at at PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Thursday, and cautioned Opposition leaders from uttering “irresponsible statements” against state institutions.
“Individuals represent institutions,” said Sheikh Rasheed. “You don’t become a corps commander without performing duties at tough terrains such as mountains and deserts,” he added while speaking of former DG ISI Faiz Hameed.
While reacting to former PM Nawaz Sharif’s earlier statement on reconciling with the PML-N’s opponents for maintaining the rule of law in the country, the interior minister said the “ship has sailed”.
On the NAB ordinance approval, Rasheed said it was a “legal step taken to remove objections raised by people and the business community.”
He said it was a “calculated step” by the government, reiterating that it had been taken to facilitate people.
Upon asking that why he was kept out of the loop on the government’s discussions with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Rasheed said it was Pakistan’s wish that Afghanistan’s soil would not be used for subversive activities.
“No talks, as per my knowledge, have taken place yet [between the government and the TTP],” he stated.
He went on to say that Pakistan would continue aid to Afghanistan, without caving under any pressure from the rest of the world.
“They (Afghans) are our brothers, and they are our neighbours,” Ahmed said, while addressing a press conference in Lahore, adding that as had been clarified by Prime Minister Imran Khan, once the world moves towards making a decision on Afghanistan, Pakistan would follow suit.
The interior minister’s statement in this regard has come as a US delegation, led by Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman, arrives in Pakistan for talks aimed at bridging a growing chasm between Washington and Islamabad on the Afghan issue.
While talking about the General Elections 2023, Rasheed said only two years are left in the government’s constitutional tenure, adding it plans to spend the six months of its rule in electioneering campaigning.
However, he predicted that a “new alignment between the PPP and the PML-N” would emerge for the next elections.
“I am Imran Khan’s companion; I came with him and will also go with him,” he added.
In response to a question about the New Zealand team’s backing off from playing the series by claiming that they had security threats, Rasheed said it “has been proven” that India had a hand in New Zealand’s last-minute withdrawal from Pakistan. “I am saying this to you after a thorough verification. The security personnel that we deployed for the New Zealand team were more in number than the soldiers in their army.”
He said 8,000 security personnel were deployed to keep the New Zealand team safe while “they [New Zealand Army] are only 7,800 in number”.
On the issue of Covid-19 vaccination, Ahmed claimed that it was being made questionable deliberately, as part of a conspiracy.
“Breaking news of the vaccination of the dead is also being aired. In doing so, who is being served?” the minister asked, without referring to any particular incident of such nature.
He went on to say that making vaccination questionable was akin to strengthening the enemy at a time when the common man was to benefit from the decisions taken on controlling the pandemic by Prime Minister Imran Khan and the National Command and Operation Centre.
