All four Sharifs stand 'subtracted' from Pakistan's politics: Sheikh Rasheed

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Friday said that "all four members" of the Sharif family can consider themselves "subtracted" from Pakistan's politics.

Although the interior minister did not specify who exactly these four members are, he was likely referring to the four Sharifs who have remained active as politicians, namely, Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz, of which the first two were disqualified to hold public office in 2017.

Addressing a press conference, Ahmed said: "They want that the hand of mercy that was placed on the head of Prime Minister Imran Khan be placed on their heads. That hand may well end up on their necks, but never their heads."

He said the present government would complete its tenure and expressed the confidence that it will return for the next tenure.

The minister went on to remark that the younger brother Shahbaz "is more corrupt" than the older brother and PML-N supremo, Nawaz Sharif.

Speaking of the Opposition's plans to hold two long marches, he said: "We will welcome them and not stop them or take any action against their long-marches as long as they hold them peacefully."

The anti-government Opposition alliance, Pakistan Democratic Movement, has announced it will march towards the capital on March 23 in a bid to oust the PTI-led government.

The long march plan will however be finalised during a meeting of senior PDM leaders scheduled on January 25.

Separately, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that his party, which is no longer a part of PDM, will lead a "long march" against the PTI government from Karachi to Islamabad on February 27.

Meanwhile, Ahmed in his media briefing  said that this year March 23 will be an important day as many important personalities of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are likely to visit Pakistan.

He predicted that the Chinese J-10C flying pass is also expected in the March 23 Pakistan Day parade.

The minister said that under the Ehsaas Programme, an amount of Rs180 billion had been distributed to 15 million deserving people of the country.

He added the prime minister had approved the expansion in storage capacity of two dams in order to generate additional 10,000MW electricity from 13 million acre-feet (MAF) to 26 MAF.