Govt accepts Shehbaz’s offer for talks: Rashid

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed Monday said Opposition Leader Shehbaz Sharif is welcome to hold talks with the government and his offer for dialogue is accepted.

“Let’s begin the talks from electronic voting machines (EVMs),” he said while addressing a press conference here. The minister said the PML-N and PPP pose no threat to the incumbent government. He said the ‘Noon’ and ‘Sheen’ Leagues have conflict over resistance and reconciliation. He said both these policies of PML-N are not working and resulted into defeat in Azad Kashmir and Sialkot elections.

The minister said a four-member investigation team from Afghanistan has arrived in Pakistan to probe the alleged abduction of Afghan envoy’s daughter. He said Pakistan has completed investigation into the alleged abduction. Shaikh Rashid said Pakistan will inform the Afghan team from Kabul about the investigation of the incident. He said if the Afghan team wants, it can also hold meetings with 11 witnesses, including taxi drivers, with whom the ambassador’s daughter had travelled.

Shaikh Rashid said that a meeting has been called on Thursday for the finalisation of security in Muharram ul Haram. He revealed that Laal Haveli was under attack twice in one week, and police are now investigating it. He said effective measures would be adopted to maintain law and order, security and harmony during Muharram.

Talking about the Noor Mukadam case, the minister said the accused’s father and driver have also been held. “Now I could not let him be killed in a police encounter,” he said.

He maintained that the investigation has been completed, the forensic test conducted and all evidence provided to the court. He hoped that the court would hand down a death sentence to Zahir Jaffer, the alleged murderer of Noor.

The minister said that Pakistan will mark August 05 as a day with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K). Responding to a question, the minister said that Nadra was developing a system for COVID-19 certification, adding that the system will be linked with 64 countries.

Speaking about the protection of the diplomatic staff working in Pakistan, the minister said that special instructions had been issued to chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) and deputy commissioner Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) to make a foolproof security system at Diplomatic Enclave. He added 190 new security cameras would be installed at the Diplomatic Enclave to ensure security of the area. He said the government would introduce an identification card system for only those who had legal property or for diplomats only in the enclave.

Shaikh Rashid said the CDA chairman had also been directed to start 1122 service to ensure immediate help during flood like situation in the federal capital as no such quick service was available here. He said new vehicles would be provided for the purpose.

The minister said the DC Islamabad had been directed to remove all illegal constructions in the federal capital occupying nullahs and causing overflow with loss of lives and property. He said special directions had been issued to ensure rotation of officials in FIA, Nadra and Cyber Crime wing as people had occupied the posts for the last many years. He said 64 employees of the Passport Office working in different countries had also been asked to return to Pakistan by August 20, while other employees would be posted on these posts on merit.

The minister said China was Pakistan’s sincere friend, and every possible security would be provided to Chinese nationals working in Pakistan. He said there was no illegal movement on Pak-Afghan border as only 208 persons having legal documents reached Pakistan from Balochistan.

Shaikh Rashid said the Pakistan Army and civil armed forces were efficiently performing their duties at Pak-Afghan border. He said the government had dismissed all those Nadra officials who were involved in issuing fake CNICs in Karachi and other cities.

The minister said special measures had been adopted in Rawalpindi to avoid the spread of coronavirus and further equipment including ventilators would be provided to hospitals. He said he was very excited to visit Siachen, but his scheduled visit had to be postponed due to adverse weather conditions.