LAHORE: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal Saturday said that the ‘failed forces’ were trying to create an atmosphere of instability in the country in order to hamper the smooth democratic process ahead of the upcoming general elections.
“Even in 2013, just before the elections, slogans such as ‘first accountability, then elections’ and ‘first state then elections’ were raised but I fail to understand why these slogans surface right before the elections,” he told media in Lahore, adding, “This is done because these forces are afraid of the democratic process.”
“However, these tactics won’t work this time. The people cannot be fooled anymore. People have wisened up and are politically aware. So many games have been played in Pakistan that people have lost faith in some forces,” the minister said, adding, “Even those deprived of education are now just as aware as the educated and they will not let these forces sabotage the democratic process.”
The minister expressed the hope that the opposition will be in agreement with the government over the caretaker setup. “There is also this conspiracy theory floating around that these elements will try to prevent consensus on the caretaker prime minister so that a third force ends up bringing in a prime minister of their own. We will not let this happen,” he said with determination. He also invited the leader of the opposition to work with the prime minister to reach an agreement regarding the caretaker setup in a fair and transparent manner.
The minister asserted that it is government’s prerogative to decide which names are put on the exit control list (ECL).
On Gen (r) Pervez Musharraf, the minister said that if a former prime minister of the country could face the courts despite his wife suffering from cancer, then surely a hale and hearty ex-general could also face the courts. “He [Musharraf] shouldn’t be worried about his security. If he faces the courts, he will be respected by many,” he added.
Discussing the security situation in the country, the minister observed that the PML-N government had curbed terrorism during the course of its rule. “We curbed terrorism during our rule. People are seen in long queues to get tickets of Pakistan Super League (PSL) in Karachi – a city where extortion chits were a norm till some time back,” he said.
“These are real, tangible changes that have taken place over the last five years. No one was willing to invest in the country just five years ago. Today, Pakistan has benefited from billions of dollars of investment due to CPEC, which has contributed heavily to our infrastructural development with projects such as dams, motorways and even universities and AI technology centres being made,” he said.
The interior minister also spoke about the government’s resolve to achieve its target to become one of the world’s top 25 economies by 2025. “We have changed the direction of the country in the past five years and we will achieve our target to become one of the world’s 25 economies by 2025,” he said.
Published in Daily Times, March 18th 2018.
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