Govt will not let PTI to shut down Islamabad: Interior Minister
ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said Sunday that Pervaiz Rashid was removed as information minister as he had failed to stop what he called a baseless news in an English daily.
Explaining the government’s position on the publication of controversial news story about the national security meeting in an English daily, he said at a news conference that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wants to take the matter to its logical conclusion.
‘The civil and military leadership have consensus to expose those responsible in the matter to the nation,’ he said, adding there has always been consensus between the civilian and military leadership to indiscriminately act against the non-state actors.
Rejecting the information given in the news story, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said no meeting on national security had taken place on the third of this month, which was reported in the newspaper. He said in a national security meeting on the fourth of this month, the foreign secretary talked about realignment of Pakistan in the region, and the newspaper’s statement quoting the foreign secretary as having stated that Pakistan was being isolated in the world was totally wrong.
The Minister said a high-powered committee is being constituted to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the matter to identity those responsible and bring forth his designs.
Chaudhry Nisar said during initial investigation led by him, he found a lapse on part Pervaiz Rasheed as information minister, and hence, he was asked to step down for ensuring independent inquiry. He said Pervaiz Rashid should have asked the correspondent not to publish such a news story or he should have brought it to the notice of the government.
About the PTI lockdown plan, he said the government will not let PTI to shut down Islamabad, which is a crime against the state.
‘The government will ensure that all educational institutions, trade centers, hospitals, offices, and roads remain open on the second of next month.’
The Interior Minister said the government will not allow the political activists to attack police and subject them to violence. He lauded the police for effectively enforcing Section-144 in Islamabad, and ensured rule of law.
Chaudhry Nisar said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is setting a wrong tradition by running a campaign against the federal government. He said the persons arrested on charges of violating Section-144 in Islamabad and recovery of weapons from the protestors will be produced before the court.
He said PTI Chief Imran Khan should wait for the Supreme Court’s verdict instead of resorting to arson and violence. NNI
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