Rashid accuses Nawaz of leaving country on basis of ‘fake’ medical reports

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Wednesday said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif had left Pakistan through fake medical reports to seek medical treatment in London and was now living there via fake reports.

Addressing at a press conference, Rashid said that there is no leader in the world who flee from his own country. According to media reports, Sharif did not continue his treatment due to coronavirus, while he himself was asking people to go to Islamabad in the long march on March 23 during Covid-19, he said.

Rashid said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has earlier stated that the next three months are very important for the government.

“Out of these three months, one month has passed and two months are remaining”, he said, adding that the opposition should fulfill its desire of coming to Islamabad.

To a question about bringing presidential system or imposing emergency in the country, all such things are nothing more than rumours and being an Interior minister he confirms that there is no plan to bring presidential system or impose emergency in the country.

He said that JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is more interested to come to Islamabad. About the recent statement of the JUI-F chief, in which, he stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government will have an end like Afghanistan’s former president Ashraf Ghani’s government, Rashid said that Rehman is comparing Imran Khan with Ghani. Imran Khan has got the label of Taliban Khan in the world and he opposed drone attacks as well as did not speak against Taliban, he said, questioning the JUI-F chief. Prime Minister Imran Khan is the only leader who is speaking about humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, he said.

The minister said that Saudi Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif will visit Islamabad on February 7 during which he will also hold meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Arif Alvi as well as other important personalities. Both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy longstanding relations, he said.

He further said that the prime minister is going to China on important visit from February 3 to February 6. The prime minister’s visit to China will be historic during which matters pertaining to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will be discussed, he said.

The minister said that letters have been written to all the chief secretaries and the inspector generals of police (IGPs) to stay alert regarding law and order situation in the country. The chief secretaries and IGPs have been asked to make comprehensive plan to deal with any untoward situation, he said.

Responding to a question regarding Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has increased its attacks and recently two of its terrorists have been killed in Islamabad, he said no talks are going on with the TTP as was not possible for the government to accept the demands of the TTP.

Rashid said that 87 new National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) centers have been established across the country over the last one year. Out of 87 centres, 23 Sindh province, 11 in Punjab, 16 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 13 in Balochistan, 13 in Azad Kashmir, 10 in Gilgit-Baltistan, and one in Islamabad. Interior Ministry has also planned to establish 13 passport offices in Sindh and site has also been identified, he said.

About recent posting and transfers of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials dealing with different cases, he said that the director general (DG) FIA has reshuffled the officials and he was not aware of the changes.

“Only Prime Minister’s Office could revert these transfers,” he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022