Staff Reporter Lahore
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Thursday said that Prime Minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government would steer the country out of crises as all national institutions were on the same page.
Addressing a press conference at Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Regional Office here, he said he held a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar in which political matters including reservations of estranged Jehangir Tareen were discussed, adding that he urged the chief minister to address the genuine reservations of Jehangir Tareen and other party members.
He said that it was expected that Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would take oath as an MPA on May 24, adding that Jehangir Tareen’s supporters would also vote for approval of the Punjab budget, to be presented by the PTI government.
To a query, he said that Senator Syed Ali Zafar should submit the report on whether the FIA was subjecting Jehangir Tareen to fair, unbiased and non-discriminatory treatment in the cases registered against him or not.
To a question, the minister said that Maryam Nawaz had caused severe damage to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz as a clear political rift or differences could be seen within the party, adding that PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif tried to flee the country in the wee hours to escape the Hudaibiya case, but the government did not allow him to go abroad.
The interior ministry, after approval of the federal cabinet, had put Shehbaz Sharif’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL), and he could file an appeal within 15 days with the interior ministry for exclusion of his name, he added.
To another question about Maryam Nawaz, Sheikh Rashid said she had claimed that she would not leave the country; therefore, there was no question of inclusion or exclusion of her name in the ECL list.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that the opposition alliance, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), had been exposed, and the opposition could not cause any threat to the government.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was making efforts day and night to put the country on the road to progress and prosperity, besides eliminating the mafias, including sugar to provide relief to people.
About the FIA performance, the minister said that there was the need to bring further improvement in the FIA to make its performance up to the mark, adding that officials posted at same positions for 18 to 20 years would be transferred.
He stressed the importance of FIA and said that the Agency’s cyber crime wing should be made more effective and efficient to redress the complaints at the earliest.
The minister also visited various sections of the FIA Regional Office earlier, where the officials briefed him about progress on various ongoing cases and functions of the Agency.
