Govt urges opposition to respect law, no hurdle to be created during protests

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday said that the government would not create any hurdle in protest of opposition parties scheduled outside Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on January 19.

Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz, Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Ahmed, Minister for Defence Pervaiz Khuttak and Law Minister Farogh Naseem, he said, “The ministerial committee had decided unanimously that the government will not create any hindrance in the opposition’s protests but we hope the opposition will act according to law and constitution of the country.”

He said that the opposition parties’ alliance is coming to Islamabad on January 19 to stage protest in front of ECP despite the fact that the former Chief Election Commissioner had not been appointed by the Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf government.

“I hope the opposition parties will show good gesture after this decision and not to create law and order situation in the federal capital” he added.

The federal minister said that the opposition parties would take part in by-elections as well as Senate elections scheduled to be held in March.

He said only 92 out of more than 500 religious seminaries were registered in the federal capital and the government had no objection to register more.

He said a committee constituted by the Prime Minister Imran Khan including Ministers for Interior and Religious Affairs was in contact with religious scholars for the registration of seminaries. He said religion must not be used for political gains. “We have respect for Madrasa and considered them as fort of Pakistan” he added.

The minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan will never recognize Israel. We are the firm believers of the finality of Prophethood and would never recognize Israel, he said adding that Imran Khan is the leader who cannot even thinks to recognize Israel.

Sheikh Rasheed said that Maulana Fazal should serve for cause of Islam rather than seeing towards Islamabad.

To a question, the minister said that PTI submitted all evidences into foreign funding case including verified documents of 40,000 people.

He said that Imran Khan would complete his five-year term as Prime Minister and the nerves of all on his side are also strong.

Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak criticized the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) leadership and said this 11-party alliance of the Opposition parties raised their objections on the General Elections' Results of 2018 in which they participated.

He said they were reluctant to let the business of the National Assembly go functional and did not cooperate in the Parliamentary Committee set to probe the Opposition's claims of rigging in the General Elections of 2018.

Since its inception, he said the Opposition members only participated in its two meetings and never presented any proofs or record of documents justifying their stance and had also not written a letter either on the matter to him.

The Committee still existed where they should have appeared and submitted any evidence to prove their claims, he added.

The Defence Minister said they (PDM Leadership) only want to create chaos and anarchy in the country through its movement."

The Minister for Law Faroogh Naseem, citing the Supreme Court's remarks in the Faizabad sit-in case, said that it was made clear that not every place is feasible for protests. "The state will protect your rights within the law," he said.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Senator Shibli Faraz asked Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz ( PML-N) and Pakistan People's Party ( PPP) to submit evidence regarding alleged election fraud in the ECP besides holding protest rallies.

He also asked the PML-N and PPP leaders to bring the details and documents of the party accounts as the scrutiny committee of the ECP had asked them to provide the details several times in the foreign funding case.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Science and Technology said slammed the Opposition, said that the PDM had criticised every state institution — and did not spare any.