Govt, national institutions on same page, says Rashid

Ag APP

LAHORE: Interior minister Sheikh Rashid said on Thursday no one was mounting a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan and no ministers were being removed as the government and national institutions were on the same page.

Addressing a news conference at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Regional Office here, he said he held a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar in which the reservations of Jahangir Tareen were discussed, adding that he urged the chief minister to address the genuine reservations of Tareen and other party members.

Tareen, who is beset by three criminal investigations opened by the FIA, has formed a group of “likeminded” MPs who have been publicly supporting him against the alleged vendetta of the Punjab government and the cases which the former describes as “fake”.

To a query, Rashid said Syed Ali Zafar should just submit the report on whether or not the FIA’s treatment of Tareen was fair, unbiased and non-discriminatory in the cases registered against him. The minister said he had no doubts Tareen’s supporters would vote for the approval of the Punjab budget. Separately, Minister for Federal Education Shafqat Mahmood insisted that the government was under no pressure from Tareen and any other political leader.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was completely united under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan and those trying to create a rift in the party would not succeed in their negative designs.

“[There] is no rift within the party members and none of the PTI members are going anywhere,” he said while speaking to a private news channel. “We are the party and we will remain in it. If we don’t stay then where would we go?” he asked. “We all party members have same identity of PTI otherwise we have not separately recognisable. We all have respect just because of Prime minister Imran Khan.”

He said as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the government has just adopted a policy of accountability for all that would hold every person within or outside the party accountable for his actions.

He said Khan was not blackmailed in past and would never be blackmailed in future as well, adding, he boldly stood for his clear stance on corruption where he would never compromise on any cost.

Mahmood said accountability is the main slogan of the PTI and “our accountability is equally important as the accountability of others”.

“Those critics who are pointing fingers at the government would be answerable for their actions as well,” he warned. “Imran Khan is our captain, and we will present our grievances only in front of him. Difference of opinion is the beauty of democracy and every person have right to speak.”