ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Sunday claimed that opposition parties would get nothing from the no-confidence motion they have moved against Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Addressing a press conference, he said that he has inside information that the government was not going anywhere.

“I have information that what you are thinking is not going to happen”, he told the opposition.

Rashid dubbed the opposition leaders including former president Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Shehbaz Sharif and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman as the “gang of three”.

Taking jibes at PPP chairman Bilwal Bhutto Zardari for seeking Prime Minister’s resignation, he said the gang of three would never succeed in their designs, adding, Imran Khan would emerge as victorious.

“Whatever will the results, I have inside information that the gang of three would get nothing”, he said.

He accused the opposition trio of taking money from Mu’ammar Al-Qadhdhafi, Saddam Hussein of Iraq and Osama bin Laden, adding money is everything for the opposition and they are trying to purchase the conscience of the lawmakers through money which they had gathered over the years.

The minister said that Shehbaz Sharif was arrested when he was fleeing country otherwise he would have also taken refuge abroad like his brother Nawaz Sharif.

The Sharifs have issued inappropriate statement against army from abroad, which is not acceptable, he said.

He said that the standards of politics of the “three gangs” have gone down that they are bringing a Pakistan People Party (PPP) MNA Jam Abdul Karim who is an absconder in the murder of Nazim Jokhio a journalist from Dubai for casting vote in no-confidence motion.

Responding to a question, he said that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif never had good relation with any Chief of Army Staff (COAS) despite the fact that he was nurtured in the nursery of GHQ’s gate No 4.

Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Hameed Gul had given ticket to Nawaz Sharif first to contest election, he added.

He also warned PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to avoid baseless allegations against the family of Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying “this is my last warring to you”.

To another question, he said that the establishment was with the government. It’s need of the hour that the government completed its tenure, he said.

He further said that the COAS would complete its tenure. “No one is going anywhere”, he said.

About vote of no confidence motion he said that probably voting on no-confidence against the Prime Minister would be held on April 4 if the motion would be tabled on March 28 in the house.

The opposition should remember that due to their incompetence popularity of Imran Khan has increased, he said.

To a question he said that he has advised Prime Minister Imran Khan to go for early elections after presenting upcoming financial year budget as his popularity had increased following no-trust motion moved by opposition against him.

He urged Jamiat Ulema-e Islam-Fazal (Fazl) to keep open Srinagar Highway otherwise government will take action against them as per the directives of Islamabad High Court (IHC).

The minister asked JUI-F holding public gathering is your constitutional right but if you tried to create any disturbance in the city, the district administration will take action against you. “The administration has given free hand to implement IHC order”, he said.

He said that the administration has issued second show cause notice to JUI-F to open Srinagar Highway. The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed Minister for Interior and secretary interior to keep open Srinagar Highway and other road at all cost and ensure smooth flow of traffic, he said.

The minister said that the administration had issued NOC to JUI-F for holding one day Jalsa and today (Sunday) they have continued their protest rally illegally due to second show-cause notice issued to them. If they failed to vacate the place we will registered first information report (FIR) against them, he said.

The minister said that permission was given to PML-N for holding rally at H-9 on March 28. Staging rally by opposition was their constitutional right , he said.

He said that Interior Ministry has set up a command and control room which will be open round the clock and to monitor law order situation in the federal capital till 4th of next month and any untoward situation can be reported on the 0519206660 and 0519218594.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022