Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has once again stressed that the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would complete its tenure, saying all national institutions were standing by the “elected and democratic government”.
Addressing a news conference at the Chief Minister’s Office in Lahore on Friday, he said that any attempt to derail the democratic government would fail as the country could not afford any “political adventurism”, adding that the opposition needed to realise the intensity of challenges facing the country right now.
The minister said all PTI members and the government allies fully support the decisions of Prime Minister Imran, adding that those who would quit the alliance at this time would stand nowhere in future. The coalition partners would always stand by the government and PM Imran, he maintained.
Rasheed said the opposition should not underestimate Prime Minister Imran as he is very well aware of the situation and knows what decisions should be taken during such circumstance, adding that horse-trading should be discouraged in politics.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders, who were claiming respect for vote, are now contacting the government allies just to achieve their personal ambitions, he asserted.
The minister said that these elements are making an alliance to create unrest and achieve their personal objectives instead of peoples’ interests, adding that if the opposition’s no-confidence move fails, then the prime minister would be strengthened further.
“Those who would change their loyalties would not be able to face people in the constituencies in the upcoming elections,” he warned.
To a question, he said that he had urged Prime Minister Imran to hold talks with estranged PTI leader Jehangir Tareen, but some members within the party did not approve off his suggestion, adding that the PML-N and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders had abused the national institutions to get power but they would definitely fail in their agendas.
To another query, Rasheed said that any PTI ally, thinking of leaving Prime Minister Imran at this stage would make a political blunder as the nation would never forgive them for changing loyalties. The opposition should prepare for the local bodies elections, being held within the next three months, he suggested.
The opposition, he claimed, was afraid of the accountability process due to which it was trying to derail the government by raising slogans to table vote of no confidence against the prime minister, adding that no restriction would be imposed on PPP’s long march as Rangers would provide them security if they would conduct the march.
Rasheed further said that India could not digest PM Imran’s successful visit to Russia so it was spitting venom against Pakistan.
