Imran and Trump have same nature: Sh Rashid

LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has claimed that a king insisted with Imran Khan for letting go the incarcerated former premier Nawaz Sharif, but the prime minister refused.

Addressing a press conference at Railways Headquarters here on Saturday, Sh Rashid said Imran Khan categorically refused the suggestion, though he did not mention the name of the king who had also pledge monetary assistance. His (Imran Khan’s) exact words to the king were: “No way at all,” the minister added. “I thought after the departure of the king, there would not be any money coming. However, the king still sent few billion dollars,” he added.

About the video scandal allegedly involving accountability court judge Arshad Malik, the minister said gone are the days of politics through videos, adding the video would create problems for the PML-N instead. He quoted a proverb saying “A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend.” He said Maryam Nawaz has destroyed the party. About Premier Imran Khan’s upcoming visit to the United States, She Rashid said: “I hope the meeting between Prime Minister Imran Khan and President Donald Trump goes well. Both have the same nature.”

While commenting on the recent train accident near Sadiqabad, which claimed 24 lives and left many injured, the minister said decision has been taken for action against driver, assistant driver and station master immediately and added action on other inquiries during his tenure would also be taken within a month. Sh Rashid said there are 1,500 unmanned and 1,300 manned crossings in the entire network of Pakistan Railways, adding carelessness leads to accidents at these crossings. He said we are confronting some problems with the newly purchased locomotives of the General Electric Company. The minister said to facilitate the people of Mianwali, a passenger train from Lahore to Mianwali would be started from July 19. He said at present a total of 136 passenger trains and 55 freight trains are operational and added it is the primary function of the to offer maximum facilities to its passengers. He said a decision has been taken to introduce 1122 rescue safety project in the Pakistan Railways.