ISLAMABAD: Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Monday said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was making baseless allegations against the appointment of caretaker chief minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi.
Addressing a news conference here, the minister responded to the PTI’s criticism of Naqvi’s appointment as caretaker chief minister of Punjab and revocation of their resignations from the National Assembly.
He said the appointment of the caretaker chief minister was as per the constitution, whereas, there is no constitutional justification for the PTI’s objections.
He also congratulated the caretaker chief minister for assuming his new responsibilities. He wished that under his leadership free and fair elections would be held in Punjab.
PTI rejects appointment of Mohsin Naqvi by ECP, says will move court
He welcomed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP)’s decision being taken as per law and said that the entire process was done according to the constitution.
He further said the PTI members first resigned and now are eager to return to the assembly.
He said the country was gradually heading towards a complete political failure as the PTI’s decisions were all proven wrong and miscalculated.
He maintained that Khan’s wrong political decisions were being paid for by the MNAs and the party workers.
He said it was not wise to blame the problems created by Imran Khan on others.
The minister clarified that the nominees presented by the PTI and others did not have the required qualification as one of the nominees was a serving government employee and the other was a dual national. “Their vetting was not good for these nominees. So that’s why they had to face humiliation in this case,” he added.
Moreover, the government’s nominees had one ex-civil servant and one media personality, he said, adding, the “PTI also gave the name of another honourable bureaucrat who himself apologised to take the task. Hence, the PTI’s objection on Naqvi’s appointment is a fake cry.”
While talking about terrorism in Pakistan, he said terrorists did not have even an inch of Pakistan’s land. “The land of our neighbours is being used against us,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023