State will not allow anti-state agenda: Interior Minister

ISLAMABAD – A day after mainstream opposition parties chosen Maulana Fazlur Rehman of JUI-F to lead Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) against the government, powerful Interior Minister Brig (retired) Ijaz Ahmad Shah on Sunday warned that state will not allow any anti-state agenda.

Declaring the democratic movement as anti-state and a malicious campaign against security institutions of the country, Ijaz Ahmad Shah in an official statement said that no democracy in the world undermines its state institutions.”

The Minister said that Nawaz Sharif who fled to London seeking humanitarian assistance and health issues is now seeking refuge in anti-state agenda. “Now that Nawaz knows that he has to either pay back the money or face the court, he has started undermining country’s institutions.” 

“Prime Minister Imran Khan announced in his initial speeches of 2018 that if any of the parties think that elections were rigged they should identify the seats to be re-examined, which they did not do and have now started hue and cry” said Ijaz Shah.

He further said that the state is not so weak that it will succumb to the pressure of the ones who have looted the country for years and are now afraid of facing the reality. “No democracy in the world maligns its own Institutions” he added.

The Interior Minister was of the view these rallies have nothing to do with the betterment of Pakistan or democratic practices but are solely planned around anti-state agenda to create disruption across the country and give room to the external elements to find grounds to damage the country.

He was all also of the view that in this context rallies being organised by the under “pretext” of democracy are by no means in country’s favour, so they should not be allowed. “The country’s honour and the dignity of its institutions are to be maintained and protected by all means,” he added.

Asad Omar, Minister for Planning and Development and Special Initiatives on Sunday said that the opposition is trying to seek NRO on roads after failure to get it from the parliament. In a tweet, he said after passage of Financial Action Task Force related bills from the parliament, opposition parties got disappointed as their hopes of getting NRO from the assemblies have died.

Asad Umar said the foremost motive behind the opposition’s long march is to halt accountability process against their bigwigs and save their looted national exchequer. The Minister urged the opposition to play a constructive role in highlighting genuine issues of the common man.

Asad Umar said the government is ready to sit together with the opposition on issues of national importance like stabilising the economy and alleviation of poverty and inflation, but no compromise will be made on corruption.

Earlier on Saturday, Defence Minister, Pervez Khattak has said it is need of the hour that all political and religious entities should join hands to establish peace in the region and support Kashmiris in getting their right of self-determination. He said the government is ready for talks on matters except those related to corruption. He advised the opposition to stop politicking for personal interests saying that the government would consider their positive suggestions.

Pervez Khattak said the opposition would not be barred from launching protests, but any attempt to break the law would be dealt accordingly. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan is tirelessly working to steer country out of crises and now making efforts to augment economy of country by defeating challenges emerged in backdrop of Coronavirus pandemic.