Ulema’s movement caused martial law: Sh Rashid

LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said “the sit-in (plan) is in the grey list yet, as the JUI-F is still not sure of staging it”.

Talking to the media at Pakistan Railways Headquarters here on Saturday, he said Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s no to talks is an undemocratic act and a violation of the political norms. He said: “Even if all political chaudhrys die in the country, the Maulana still has no chance of becoming prime minister of the country.”

Sh Rashid warned that “the Maulana is making a mistake. His political career can end and he is only doing it on someone else’s signals.”

The seasoned politician said: “This time, if an attempt is made to derail democracy, a decision to counter any such scheme will be made promptly. PM Imran has formed a committee to hold dialogue with the opposition parties and that’s how democracy works.”

“I am not against seminaries as they are minarets of Islam, but the exploitation being done in the name of religion is unacceptable. The Maulana went to the Golden Temple but never paid a visit to Quaid-e-Azam’s shrine,” he added.

Sh Rashid said PM Khan and army chief were two wheels of the same car and are on the same page. “The responsibility for the current economic crisis is on former rulers whereas our government is trying to improve the situation,” he added.

According to him, National Action Plan is in action, 400 to 600 people can be put in jails if protest is not stopped. “However, Maulana Fazlur Rehman could be given face saving if he wants.”

He said he had talked to Imran Khan on the issue. Maulana had asked the USA to make him prime minister of Pakistan and he would settle the issues in Waziristan.

APP adds: Railways Minister Sh Rashid Ahmad said Fazlur Rehman’s protest would damage Kashmir cause also by diverting the public attention from atrocities of Indian forces in the occupied Kashmir.

The minister said: "I am not worried about Fazlur Rehman, I am worried about madrasas and the ulema, who are already a target of Western media." He said madrasas were symbols of Islam, but what was Fazl showing through baton-wielders, who looked like terrorists. "Whenever, ulema ran any movement, martial law was imposed in country," he added. He said politicians should use their brains as the current situation was not suitable for any protest movement.

He said that nothing was permanent in politics and political friends and foes keep changing in the changing times.

He said that it was only Imran who talked of the State of Madina for the first time in Pakistan; otherwise, all political leaders always talked about bringing liberalism or something else.

The minister said that a new movement was being initiated in India, which would affect that country at large scale. However, he regretted that the opposition leadership in Pakistan was providing an opportunity to the Indian government to slow down that movement.