Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said on Thursday that in spite of the interior ministry for the first time allowing a protest in the Red Zone, the opposition could only gather 3,000 people.
“I was about to declare that there were 2,000 people, but after consultations with everyone, it was decided that the attendees were 3,000,” he said while addressing a gathering at National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) centre.
“The opposition cooperated with us and so did we [the government],” the interior minister said regarding the opposition’s long march. “If they cooperate with us in the long march, then we would also cooperate with them.
In reference to a statement by Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) President Maulana Fazlur Rehman Rasheed said that the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief was with former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf when the madrasa students picked up the gun.
He also pointed out that while PDM was organising a shaam-e-ghareeban outside the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) offices, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was having a celebration in Umerkot.
Now Fazl is instigating the students but no one came, Rasheed said, adding that it was a “Friday market” for power-hungry people.
The interior minister warned the JUI-F chief that Fazl should avoid be fooled again, and said that he would have attended Anti-Israel rally of JUI-F if he had been invited.
“Maulana Fazl is my brother. I would have attended his rally today had he invited. Who dares to recognize Israel? On the other hand, I can predict that Maulana will be fooled again,” said Sheikh Rasheed.
Taking a shot at Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz, Rasheed told her that the foreign funding case would become “Panama part 2” for her and her family.
He said: “ It’s going to be a difficult time for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz as further details of her properties will be released soon.”
Regarding NADRA reforms, the minister announced that facilitation centres would be opened in all district headquarters and added that free identity cards would be given to 100,000 citizens per day. He further said regular passports would be converted to e-passports by inserting a chip in them.
“Around 300 new vehicles for NADRA are being prepared while 16 vehicles of the authority are currently operational in Karachi,” he added.
“All possible steps will be taken to ensure peace in Karachi. The role of Rangers is important for the prevention of terrorism, crime and restoration of peace,” the minister said.
