LAHORE: Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said that every illegal movement by opposition parties against the national institutions will be foiled. While addressing a press conference at the Railways Headquarters on Saturday, he said that armed forces have played a pivotal role in progress, prosperity of the country.

He said that coronavirus pandemic and threats of terrorism could not be ruled out in the coming few months when the opposition was thinking about launching the movement. He said Fazal-ur-Rehman would not be able to get anything from the movement, adding that there was no place for him, Nawaz Sharif and Zardari in the national politics.

He termed the Pakistan Democratic Movement a conspiracy against the armed forces and said the movement was being launched under an international agenda and conspiracy to destabilize the country. The minister said that armed forces always stood behind the democracy and the government. When asked, he said that holding rallies was the right of opposition but the law would be enforced in case of any mischievous activity.

Highlighting the railways performance, the minister said that 16 more trains were being privatized and warned the private contractors that their contract would be canceled if any contractor increased the fare more than 5 percent which was part of the agreement. He said all stopovers of all trains and full timetable was being restored from October 15.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020