LAHORE: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal Saturday said that Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) did not believe in any political ‘NRO’ as it had signed an ‘NRO’ with the people of Pakistan to transform the country into an economic tiger.
To a question about accountability by NAB, the minister told reporters after a ceremony here that such games had often been played in the country just before the general elections. “If such type of accountability will harm the credibility/popularity of only one political party, it will be called nothing but pre-poll rigging,” he opined.
Regarding placement of Sharif family members on the exit control list (ECL), the minister argued that as per decision of the Supreme Court in August 2016, federal cabinet’s approval was mandatory for all such cases. He said all cases pending since August 2016 had already been forwarded to the cabinet for recommendations.
The minister went on to lament how the government’s mandate was not being ‘respected’ in Pakistan. “In Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai completed his term. Now President Ashraf Ghani is set to complete his. I fear even Afghanistan will overtake Pakistan in the near future,” he said.
To another question, he said that if the government and opposition developed a consensus on the caretaker setup, it would be the victory of democracy. Otherwise, it would serve the motives of anti-democratic elements, he added.
To a question, Ahsan Iqbal said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan wanted to win upcoming general elections in connivance with the ‘bookie’. He said that the next general elections would prove that 200 million Pakistanis were not tenants but owners of the country.
He said that people were now mature politically as everyone, even farmers, tenants and labourers, had become ‘Aristotle’ due to the media. The people, he observed, were well aware of the fact that which political party was actually working for the development of the country.
Ahsan Iqbal said that Imran Khan often visited Peshawar and Lahore and he was well aware of difference of development in both the cities, asserting that in its next tenure, the PML-N government would develop Karachi and Peshawar as well on the same lines.
He called for highlighting Pakistan’s achievements to the world instead of resorting to negative propaganda, adding that effective policies of the incumbent government had ensured speedy development and Pakistan had now become one of the top five fast developing economies of the world.
The minister said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) prioritised overcoming the energy crisis and executing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) after receiving a mandate from the people in 2013. “With the start of CPEC, the world started to look at Pakistan from a different lens. It isn’t only a government-to-government agreement, it binds two nations together, he said. “In 2013, when the idea of CPEC was proposed, we vowed to make it a reality. Now it is proving to be a game changer. Development projects worth billions of dollars are being completed now,” he added.
The minister advised the opponents not to repeat political games of the past 70 years as it would tantamount to wreaking havoc on the future of Pakistani youth.
About Pervez Musharraf’s return to Pakistan, he said the government would provide him security as per law, adding that ‘General Sahib’ should muster courage to come back and face the courts.
Published in Daily Times, April 1st 2018.
