Reference against Altaf sent to UK govt, says Pervaiz

‘MQM chief is a British citizen, Pakistan cannot take action against him; forces

of unrest will again fail to create turmoil’

LAHORE: Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid on Saturday said Pakistan had sent reference against MQM chief Altaf Hussain to the British government.

Talking to media, he said the government hoped that the Britain would bring Altaf to justice according its laws and never allow him to create unrest in Pakistan. The Pakistan government, he said, could not take any action against Altaf because he was a British citizen and the local laws, not Pakistani, would apply to him.

“The man living in London now cannot shut down Karachi,” Pervaiz remarked, adding that shutter-down strikes on just a call of MQM were a routine in Karachi, the things had changed.

He said the situation improved after the launching of a targeted operation and the people in Karachi had severed all ties with the MQM chief.

Criticising the PTI chairman, he said media should ask Imran Khan about the need of staging another sit-in after approaching the Supreme Court but without waiting for a judgment.

Moving the apex court, he said, meant that Imran had complete confidence in the judges 

Pervaiz said the government would accept the decision but Imran should explain his possible response. The PTI chief had no confidence in the courts, roads and even himself.

He said the forces of unrest twice tried to create turmoil but had failed and their third attempt would also prove a failure.

The minister said there was 100 per cent progress in some points of the National Action Plan (NAP), while work had started on others since the NAP was a long-term programme.

He said Pakistan wanted to make Saarc a forum and cooperation would benefit all the countries in the region.

Earlier, addressing a ceremony, he said situation in Karachi would not have improved if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had not visited the city after the 2013 elections. He said the government was set to stabilise the national economy through constructive politics and completing development projects expeditiously and in a transparent manner.