KARACHI: The Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has categorically ruled out any change in the law on the Finality of Prophethood (SAW) and added that there would neither be any compromise over Islamabad's stance on Kashmir nor on recognition of Israel.
Addressing a press conference here at a hotel on Friday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed predicted thatthe Broadsheet Scandal would emerge as Panama-2 of Pakistan within next two to three months and claimed that $100 million property of Nawaz family would be exposed from the Broadsheet probe. Rasheed said the findings of the Broadsheet case would badly affect the Opposition in the next elections. He also dismissed the Opposition's objections against the appointment of Justice (R) Shaikh Azmat Saeed as head of the Broadsheet inquiry and said "If you are waiting for Justice (R) Qayyum to replace Justice (R) Sheikh Azmat [to investigate the scandal] then you are making a mistake. That is not going to happen," he added. The minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan took a bold step by asking for the live coverage of the Foreign Funding case. He said the Election Commission was an independent institution and the decision had to be made by it on this recommendation.
He said the Opposition parties minus Peoples Party are protesting outside the ECP offices while PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was in Umerkot to celebrate the by-election victory of his party. He said the Opposition parties would take part in the upcoming Senate elections as their lawmakers would not resign from the assemblies. “The Opposition has nothing more to say and will do nothing except taking out a (protest) rally and we are waiting for this rally,” said the Interior minister. He asserted that the Opposition is wasting its time and clarified that no debate could be held on political and constitutional issues. Rashid said the government wouldn’t interfere with the forthcoming protest rally of the Opposition as long as it was taken out in conformity with the law and constitution. But he warned the Pakistan Democratic Movement would face similar embarrassment in their forthcoming long march as they recently endured in the protest outside the Election Commission of Pakistan’s offices in Islamabad. The Interior minister said the Opposition should explain its motive for agitating in front of the democratic institutions which is only aimed to defame the judiciary and the armed forces. He asked the Opposition only wants to retard the industrial progress in the country.
Ruling out any change in the law on the Finality of Prophethood (SAW) Sheikh Rashid added that there would neither be any compromise over Islamabad's stance on Kashmir nor on recognition of Israel. He said the services of Prime Minister Imran Khan to highlight the Kashmir cause the world over had no match to the work done by Maulana Fazlur Rehman being the chairman of Kashmir committee several times. He said that Fazlur Rehman had no future role in politics of the country and his (Maualana’s) alliance with PML(N) would be of no use. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would complete his five-year term in office. The interior minister said that people had sacrificed their lives to restore peace in Karachi and in order to honour that politics should be left aside and everyone must work together to uplift Karachi. The minister urged the Sindh government to install 10,000 surveillance cameras in Karachi to implement the Safe City project. He also advised the Sindh government to render full support to the Rangers being a great para-military institution. He said 143 personnel of Rangers had laid down their lives for restoring peace in the biggest city of the country. Replying to a question on the relations of Police and Rangers, he said that they were like two-wheels of a vehicle and enjoy good relations. He said the government would take action to eliminate smuggling of oil and narcotics from the city. To a question, he said investigations were being carried out into the Machh tragedy and underlined that powerful international elements were trying to harm Pakistan and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The minister of Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed also visited the Pakistan Coast Guards (PCG) and lauded the professional role of the force. The Director-General PCG welcomed the federal minister at the PCG Headquarters in Karachi. He was briefed about the professional work of the PCG, operations against smuggling and its mandate. The minister said that the PCG is committed to performing its duties on land and sea against smuggling, drugs, and other heinous crimes. He said that the PCG played an important role not only in time of peace but also at war. He also assured to strengthen and functionalize the PCG. According to the PCG spokesperson, federal minister of interior laid a floral wreath on the martyrs’ monument and paid his tributes.
APP adds: Replying to another question, he said that 88-90 percent fencing had completed on Pak-Afghan border while 30-40 percent work on the Pak-Iran border fencing has also been completed while the remaining would be completed by the end of the current year. He also appreciated Pakistan Army, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Rangers and other law enforcement agencies for their efforts to improve the law and order situation in the country.Answering a question regarding the US new administration under President Joe Biden, he said that it seemed to be better for the Muslim countries.
