Govt will complete its term, Rashid tells protesting opposition

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid is confident that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will not only complete its tenure and but it will also form the next government.

Talking to the media on Sunday, the minister criticised the opposition for discussing the military in public. He said that the opposition parties were in a state of disappointment and stress as the present government was running the state affairs against their wishes.

“The opposition has been saying since December last year that PTI is going to lose power, but it should clear any misunderstanding about the government. Prime Minister Imran Khan is so lucky to have got such incompetent and ineffective opposition.”

The issue of inflation is connected with the changing international economic situation, he said and added that “no one in the government wants inflation in the country.”

Rashid continued that the trend of increasing prices of petroleum, edible oil, wheat and other edible items in the international markets had repercussions.

He ensured the masses that the government was taking sincere steps to control inflation, and bringing a change to the lives of Pakistanis.

‘PML-N is fooling Pakistanis’

Responding to Pakistan Muslim League-N Vice-President Maryam Nawaz’s statement in a recent rally about Nawaz Sharif’s return, Rashid said, “If Nawaz Sharif was serious about returning to Pakistan, Ministry of Interior will ensure full facilitation to him.”

“The ex-prime minister [Nawaz Sharif] can return to Pakistan in 24 hours” if he wants to, he claimed.

“Nawaz Sharif’s travel to London was a planned move. They [Maryam and her party members] are just trying to make the country’s people fool by telling them that he now wishes to return to Pakistan,” added the minister.

He advised the PML-N leadership to stop defaming state institutions in public or using inappropriate language for them.

The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an alliance of some opposition parties, on Sunday had decided to launch a nationwide anti-government campaign against inflation and the recent hike in prices of petroleum products.

Commenting on the agitation call, Rashid said, “The opposition has no vision to understand the prevailing regional situation, and they have selected the wrong time for holding rallies and protests.”