Pervaiz Rashid. PHOTO: APP/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid said on Wednesday that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan, Pakistan Awami Tehreek chief Tahirul Qadri and the Taliban had developed a "strategic partnership".
He added that democratic and national institutions, along with the people of Pakistan, would jointly counter this partnership.
Addressing the media after visiting an educational expo in Islamabad, the minister said that Khan had become "a strategic partner of the Taliban" and " is attacking the country's democratic institutions, while the Taliban are attacking defence and security institutions."
The PTI chief targeted democratic institutions at a rally on Saturday night, while the Taliban attacked the Karachi airport Sunday night, he pointed out.
"Imran does not leave any opportunity to defame democratic institutions; the Taliban attack national institutions and their third partner Tahirul Qadri is coming to Pakistan to attack the democratic parliamentary system and the Constitution," Rashid added.
He went on to say that "the democratic and security institutions and the masses will foil their nefarious designs. Their partnership will bite the dust as democratic institutions, including Parliament, and defence and security institutions, will be protected at all costs."
Replying to a question, Rashid said the doors for dialogue were open only for those who put down their arms; those who only understand the language of guns, however, would be dealt with accordingly.
Regarding the Taliban's claim of owning the Karachi attack, he said the state would fulfill its responsibility and use its full might to eliminate terrorists.
Meanwhile, Qadri announced on Wednesday that he would return to Pakistan on June 23. According to reports, he called on the army to take control of the security at the Islamabad airport on his arrival.
COMMENTS (49)
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@mamu: "Do research before you accuse someone." If you did your research, you may have found that IK called the operation against Taliban in waziristan as "suicidal". Why doesn't IK criticize Taliban by name? Is he afraid of them or is he with them?
Imran and Qadri are agents of establishment too.
Mr. Pervaiz Rashid is very right. There is no doubt that these three always defended Taliban. Their priority is not Pakistan.
@Farrukh Siddique: This gentleman is not dumb if you except this statement. On the contrary, he is quite sophisticated but does not know as to how actually beat the opposition in the blame game.
This man needs to learn how to talk. A real dumb fellow...... poor Nawaz Sharif has no other choice...... alas
@Weirdity: Sorry but i believe you were asleep when PTI gave the statement condemning TTP on the Karachi Airport attack. Now i know you will not believe me. So i have provided a like to the article below: http://www.dawn.com/news/1111593/pti-condemns-ttp-over-karachi-airport-attack
Now dont say that IK and PTI gave this statement under pressure. Do research before you accuse someone.
Pervaiz Rasheed is the spokes person for a media group not for Government of Pakistan.
@ Xhid brother. English please...
Mr. Rashid: What are you using these days? to keep your brains working?
Imran Khan and Tahir ul Qadri is British & US Agent, they received a lot of funds from them. IK said Metro Bus Lahore service can be built by just 4 Billion of Rupees and expressed false allegation against PMLN Punjab Govt. and their own KP provincial Metro service project can estimated cost around 51 Billion rupees.
@fakhir: It's trolls, not trools :). Get some education before you speak.
What is this guy on these days?
PTI Media Cell and paid PTI trools in full action.
I agree with this man. Imran;s politics since last few years clearly reveal that he is a partner of Taliban. No doubt about it.
The minister was seen to be cautious but he seems to have thrown caution to the wind. Go back to your own suave self. The less said about Imran and Qadri, the better.
While everyone will be focused on Qadri and Imran, I am betting the dark horse in this movement will be MQM. Don't be shocked if Sindh is divided during this ordeal, or worst case scenario, the separation of Karachi.
Mr. Rasheed, for your information TTP and those who share its ideology don't like Tahir ul Qadri either and on social media they use negative terms against Qadri and his supporters. In other words, Qadri is also a possible target of attacks by Talibans. Kindly think before crafting allegations and conspiracy theories
No Mr trash of PML(n). It's you who bribe them not to carry out tragic activities. You are atronizing them. The whole nation knows. By the way we are with the US forces and fully support them.
IK made it clear whose side he was on when he called taliban as brothers. Now he attacks the government instead of the taliban for the karachi airport attack. Its all very clear.
I don't want to sound disrespectful but this man needs to shut up! He spends most of his time talking against Imran Khan! I think he can feel the pressure of PTI's jalsas and that the public is well aware how their mandate was stolen! Hope the Bahawalpur jalsa will be even bigger, InshAllah!
Pmln and taliban are the same because Pmln was the party who initiated negotiations with them. Pmln is in power so blame them.
Democracy?? Who cares!! We are not safe, we dont get jobs as per our abilities, we dont have electricity/gas, politicians are full of corrupt but they get immunity, we are getting price hikes almost every month.. lots of protests n strikes every month..
I think we r far far better with army.. Only pakistan department we can trust.. No matter what policies they execute, but they are always there for pakistanies.. Securing our borders, securing our cities (police is useless), securing/helping in natural diseses.. When our kids are hungry v can not feed them this constitution n democracy!
When utter nonsensical statements like this are made.......it shows desperation and in politics showing desperation is the same as committing political suicide.
In order for IK to attack a denocratic institution, we need to have democratic institutions. Probably this concept is a bit too much for our minister of (dis) information to grasp.
Is he minister of information or minister of comedy? Lol.
All workers in PLMN are the slaves of nawaz sharif and his children, they are not capable of anything hence cant even make a sensible statement...
Very immature
Highly irresponsible statement from a Minister. Imran enjoys the support of Masses and we all support him
If IK is saying that PML N have made rigging in elections. Ik is saying that National security policy of govt. is flawed. According to Pervez rashid it is propaganda agianst democratic institutions. People are dying and if someone talks about your failure you say it propaganda against democracy.
Confused Government, Confused ministers. Afraid Government, afraid ministers.
@Kishan: Agree with you 100% Pervaiz Rashid unable to see his own government mismenagement. Our country is at war. People are dying in the hands of terrorrist and he is busy in point scoring. SHAME ON PML(n) dirty politics and Shame on this ugly democracy
These guys have no limits. Don't they realize that their income is 'haram' if they have their positions as a result of rigged voting. How much more evidence is needed?
They want every one to keep quite like PPP. Someone has to stand up and tell them that this family kingdom is running as a result of stealing people mandate. They don't want any change. A just system doesn't suit them. They don't want anyone to stand up to them so that Hamaza Shahbaz or Bilawal Zardari continue to take turns and then their children and then their children and so on
Talibaan on the same side as Imran? Then why negotiate with Talibaan? Double standards... Anyway, this is the first ever indication from Nawaz league about Talibaan being bad, or atleast as bad as Imran.
Accuses these people while his own government is sitting in the laps of the terrorists and looting the country. He should be jailed for life.
When IK and company were not?
asking for justice is attack on democratic institutions? Than be that way....we don't need such democratic institutions which cannot provide justice to the masses....Our political right was stolen on May 11 n our basic right of life is snatched every time there is any attack.....
Such an immature and irresponsible statements is not expected from a federal minister for information, but sadly this is all Pervaiz Rasheed does.
He doesnot realize that he is making the situation worse. Instead of taking criticism as positive and working to correct his mistakes. He is firing back. That shows how incompetent he is and will always remain.
Maybe he took an overdose if medicine to keep the brain working.
And what have you become? An incompetent minister.
This guy has totally become lunatic. First, PMLN's policy is no different than PTI. In fact, PTI is now more in favour of action than our docile prime minister. Second, it is not Imran Khan or Qadri's job to protect Pakistanis from the hordes of maniacs coming from the north west. It is the job of the prime minister, who unfortunately is more interested in guarding the terrorists than the Pakistanis.
This is serious allegations against PTI, time to sue Minister or Minister should produce evidences to prove the links. We don't want any living Taliban in Pakistan, they do not stand for anything Islamic or human.
What would call your partnership PPP & ANP as alliance of the crooks & the Looters
G.Khan
Nothing but shame on you. While peace talks were working, govt was taking its credit but now all that is Imran's fault. What load of crap. Imran was 100% right. Some groups want peace and they distanced themselves from TTP. Those who don't want peace can be crushed by force.
well said ,these three vultures are playing their role successfully as assigned !