Nawaz anti-Pakistan narrative inspired Indian media greatly: Ijaz Shah

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Brig (retd) Ijaz Shah Monday said no political leader in a democratic system could be allowed to target national institutions in the name of freedom of expression.

Action should be taken against the Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Nawaz Sharif for his anti-state narrative for which he was being portrayed as the greatest political leader in the Subcontinent by the Indian media, he said while talking to a private news channel.

The minister questioned that if there was rigging in general election, then why Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa was given extension by the Parliament. The PML-N had always adopted a stance of its own choice about the fairness of election on the basis of its victory.

Its leadership had said not a single word against the armed forces when only 17 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf candidates had won Punjab Assembly seats, he added. Ijaz Shah said the opposition parties coming together was not surprising as 11 years ago Prime Minister Imran Khan had rightly predicted about their such alliance against the PTI.

To a question, he said the enemies of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) were involved in creating instability in Balochistan and the next war would be fought against them after erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas.

To another question, Ijaz Shah said no millers had been made accountable for sugar scandals during the previous governments. About the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the minister said as the Intelligence Bureau chief, he had submitted his report to the government that a suicide attack was expected on her in Sindh or Punjab.