ISLAMABAD – Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Monday said that the anti-government opposition alliance of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has lost the ground after recent rifts emerged in it and now the opposition parties should sit with the government to bring key reforms in 10 areas including electoral process.
While talking to reporters after inaugurating Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s monumental portrait that has been installed beside Islamabad Express Highway, the minister said that the unity of PDM was in tatters now and the 10-party opposition alliance has failed in achieving its objective to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan from power.
“Let us sit in the National Assembly… and move forward,” he said while inviting all opposition parties including Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) to sit with the government and bring reforms in at least 10 key areas.
He said that ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has completed around three years in government and only two years have left. “In power, the time passes quickly and only opposition days are long.” He said that the time was short and the opposition should come and help the government to bring reforms including electoral, police and on local bodies system. After this, the next general election will be around the corner, he also said.
“The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) [the two opposition parties] have parted their ways from the platform of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) forever,” the interior minister said.
He went on to say that the two opposition parties had been opposing each other throughout their political lifetime and only had become united to oust PM Imran Khan. “By the grace of Allah, they could not overthrow him (PM) from power and they are now on the back foot themselves.” He further said that the ball is actually in the court of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He also prayed for early recovery of Maulana and PML-N vice-president Maryam Nawaz.
Responding to a question whether PTI has any role in bringing the differences within PDM, Sheikh Rashid said that it was neither success of government nor it has any role in this regard but it was inefficiency of the opposition only.
He admitted that there was inflation in the country but added that PM Imran Khan was focused to bring it down and has instructed his cabinet, the ruling party’s Core Committee and Political Committee to work hard to decrease inflation in the country.
About reshuffle in the cabinet, the interior minister said that such reshuffles were a routine matter and part of the government. “The minister remains a minister whether he is at one place or other, in one ministry or in other one.” He also said that his portfolio was not under consideration for any reshuffle as he was at the right place. “PM Imran Khan is also the captain of politics, I stand by him, and I have come with him, will go with him and will play where he will say to play.”
He also informed reporters that passport and NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority) offices will be established in every district throughout the country.
Responding to a question, the interior minister said that National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has to decide to impose lockdown in Islamabad to contain the spread of virus but his ministry’s duty was only to implement the decision.
He also said that the Ministry of Interior was going to introduce an application (App) for the citizens to lodge their complaints against all departments including NADRA that work under it. He stressed that all corrupt officials working in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on same positions for the last 20 years would be removed soon.
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