ISLAMABAD: The government on Sunday came down hard upon the Azadi March supporters, saying that those who opposed the creation of Pakistan are now holding march against a democratic government.
Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that failure of‘halwa march’ by the JUI-F is actually Pakistan’s success. In a post on the social-networking website Twitter, the minister insisted that Azadi March is being organised by those whose ancestors opposed Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the Pakistan movement. The defeat of this class is a key to Pakistan’s bright future, he added.
Fawad Chaudhry further said that he hopes the matter of anti-government protest will soon see its inevitable conclusion. Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the government is ready to hold talks with JUI-F chief Mualana Fazlur Rehman on any national issue for public welfare, but it will not be blackmailed by any threat or allegation. She was addressing a news conference along with Minister for Religious Affairs Noorul Haq Qadri.
The special assistant said the prime minister has already formed a fully powerful committee led by Pervez Khattak for holding talks with the JUI-F chief. She, however, made it clear that the government's desire for negotiations should not be taken as weakness. She said Maulana Fazlur Rehman cannot be allowed to hold the majority hostage.
Noorul Haq Qadri said religion should not be used for political motives. He said the government of Imran Khan cannot think of recognising Israel and reversing the law declaring Qadianis as non-Muslims. The minister said Imran Khan is striving to make Pakistan an Islamic welfare state for the people on the pattern of the state of Madina.
Meanwhile, Firdous Ashiq Awan said in tweets that the nation is well aware of tactics of Maulana Fazlur Rehman and will not allow him to use the religious card for his vested interests. She regretted that Maulana Fazlur Rehman was threatening to trigger unrest in the country by bringing innocent students of seminaries to the streets of the federal capital. Dr Firdous said Prime Minister Imran Khan would neither make a deal with these elements nor give them any relaxation in the ongoing accountability process. “This is not Imran Khan’s personal fight. It is a fight between 220 million people of Pakistan and the mafia, which ruled the nation for the last 35 years. Today, when all of them are out of power, they have forged unity against the elected government to conspiring against it,” she said.
She pointed out that the people of Pakistan had elected rulers of their choice but a person, who has been in the government for the last 31 years, is trying to be more loyal than the king for the past rulers. “Maulana Sahab! People are fully aware of your sinister design to push Pakistan towards anarchy but you and your allies will fail,” she emphasised.
She noted that those who had remained imposed on the nation for decades, were now forging unity for their third generation; having nothing to do with the poor masses of Pakistan. “The Maulana is fighting with the government for his son Asad Mehmood, Zardari for Bilawal, Nawaz for Maryam, Shahbaz for Hamza and Asfandyar for his son Aimal Wali,” she retorted.
Meanwhile, senior PTI leader Jehangir Tareen said that there is no question of resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He said the JUI-F chief has been given the venue of his choice and facilitated. He urged the Maulana to stick to the agreement signed with the government. Talking to the media in Lahore, Jehangir Tareen said that he will not hear anything regarding the resignation of the premier. He alleged that the PML-N is a creation of the army and how can they blame the PTI for that.
