Dislodging Sindh govt to endanger political system: Rehman

ISLAMABAD: Former Interior Minister and Chairman Senate’s Committee on Interior Senator Abdul Rehman Malik warned that if efforts were made to dislodge Sindh government then Islamabad will also feel its heat and the whole political system could be put on endanger.

In a Panel interview with The News and Jang Islamabad, he talked about the political matters with regard to the government political moves on Sindh government, Defence diplomacy under “Bajwa Doctrine”, reasons behind the fall of rupee against the dollar and the political situation in the country.

While highlighting the efforts of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa for bringing out the country from the economic crisis, former Interior Minister Senator A. Rehman Malik said General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Saudi Arab, UAE, Qatar and China and these visits were part of his Defence Diplomacy Strategy of “Bajwa Doctrine” that aims at bring out the country from the economic crisis and to put the country on the path of progress and development. “Bajwa Doctrine was more important in the context of India,” he said.

He was of the view that bilateral relations between the two countries could not be limited through diplomatic relations as the foreign policy will not give desired results and the good relations between the two countries meant that if any country was in problem then the other country come to stand with other at the time of any crisis.

Senator Rehman Malik said the Defence diplomacy was a vision of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who initiated the defence diplomacy with launching Pakistan’s nuclear programme. ‘Today’s wars were not being fought as conventional wars but the deterrence was important now.

He said the foreign office diplomatic ties and correspondences were also important but the strong economy and defence strategy also play important role in the diplomatic relations. “Only those countries were ruling the world, which achieve the strong defence,” he said.

The PPP leader said who could imagine that China which became the second economic power after the United States was just due to its strong Defence Diplomacy.

In a reply to a question regarding possibilities of changes in Pak-India relations after the elections in India, Senator Rehman Malik said Islamabad and New Delhi relations during the tenure of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi were at the lowest level and the main reason was anti-Pakistan policy and barbaric policies of Narendra Modi in Kashmir.

He said the Head of Human Rights Commission of the United Nations has given details of the barbaric actions of Indian forces on the innocent people of Kashmir. “Four months ago on a tweet I commented that there will be tough elections contest between Rahul Gandhi and Modi and the barbaric polices against innocent Kashmiris, anti-Pakistan policies and continuation of the extremism policies will be main factor of downfall of Narendra Modi in India,” he said adding that now Rahul Gandhi’s party succeeded in six Indian states and he was predicting Congress to rule in the country.

He said if Rahul Gandhi comes in power after elections then it will have positive effects on Pak-India relations. “If 700000 Indian forces withdrawn from Kashmir then Muslim votes will play a decisive role in upcoming elections in India.

He said links of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with the Daesh were already established. In a reply to questions of fall of rupee against dollar rate, Rehman Malik said Senate’s Committee on Interior was probing the sudden fall of Pakistani currency against the dollar and its impact on the country’s economy. “I get to know the issue of sudden fall of rupee was created by one group of Exporters/SWAP dealers whose real aim was to control the rate of the currency to blackmail the government and the State Bank of Pakistan.

He said the Senate’s Committee feels the artificial shortage is created through a cartel of some Bank employees of the Commercial Banks and release of dollars is held deliberately in New York and the time limit for release of dollars is sabotaged with special manipulation using the public holidays with the view to mark more days than the official time limit of 3 days.

He said the cartel of Banks employees through a well-organised manner, forced the State Bank to pick the dollars through market on higher rates to clear the outstanding payments of the government. “Therefore, the Committee directs the State Bank of Pakistan and the FIA to investigate as to how this illegal financial instrument of Flying LC was created and since when it was being misused by a larger number of exporters who have not brought the export dollars proceeds back to Pakistan and what action has the State Bank taken against these defaulters,” he said.

While turning to PPP and PTI ongoing political tussle on Sindh government, Rehman Malik see zero chances in change of provincial government of Sindh with arguing that the PPP Sindh stands united in the province. “If any government change is mere on the basis of inquiry then these were already going on against the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Chief Minister Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and many other ministers,” he said adding that there should be no double standards one for them and other for Karachi.

Senator Rehman Malik said if efforts were made to bring down the Sindh government then Islamabad will also feel the heat of their efforts in Sindh and resultantly the whole system could be endangered. “I see political ups and downs in 2019. If the wave of price hike is not stopped then the people will be on the roads and oust the rulers from the power,” he said.