RAWALPINDI – Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Sunday said that the 10-party opposition alliance — Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) — will be welcomed to Islamabad if they follow the law and the Constitution.
Referring to the PDM’s planned long march to the federal capital for February 26, the interior minister said, “I want to tell the whole PDM that if you remain within the limits during the long march, there will be no problem and there would be no obstacle,” he said this while addressing a public gathering here.
“If you want to come to Islamabad while acting within the limits of the law, come 10 times because you will have to return. You do not have the strength,” he maintained.
He termed the sit-in as the most difficult thing he had done in his life as he referred to the PTI’s 126-day long sit-in in Islamabad in 2014. He advised the PDM to review its decisions. “It isn’t easy to stage a sit-in,” he added. He told the gathering that Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal understand what he was advising and added the opposition will eventually have to agree to the PPP’s stance.
Referring to the recent clash between the law-enforcement agencies and the protesting employees in Islamabad, the interior minister said they had fired a little tear gas on the government employees to test it. “It was necessary to test the tear gas as it had been unused for a long time,” he said and added “Only a little was tested, not a lot.”
It is to mention here that last week, Islamabad police had resorted to massive tear gas shelling at the protesters to disperse them. The protesters, who were government employees, were demanding an increase in their salaries.
Answering a question about the upcoming Senate elections, Rashid said that whether the elections are held through secret ballot or open voting, those who are up for sale will sell their votes. He said open balloting even won’t stop turncoats from selling votes as who want to sell votes do so regardless of the voting method. He said there was no place in the country for those who sold their votes.
Rashid further said that the Armed Forces were rendering sacrifices for the country and added that those who talk against the military should be taken to task. He criticized the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz for ‘destabilizing the country.’ “There are four political parties at present who want to destabilise the country. Those creating unrest were also against the creation of the country,” the interior minister maintained. He lamented PML-N’s approach in this regard and added anyone who talks against the Armed Forces doesn’t represent ‘Muslim League’.
The interior minister further said that 30 out of 33 police checkpoints in the federal capital have been removed and assured the rest will also be removed soon. He hoped that Islamabad will have modern police in the days to come. He said the government will bring back those who have been serving at their respective embassies for more than three years. “Those who opted for dual nationalities will lose their jobs,” he also said.
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