Rafique dares ‘hidden forces’ to speak up

Railways minister said the culture of conspiring against sitting governments should stop

LAHORE: A federal minister on Sunday dared ‘hidden forces’ to state clearly that they did not want to see the PML-N win the Senate election scheduled for March next year.

“If the hidden forces do not want Nawaz to secure majority in the Senate, they should come up straight,” Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique said during an inauguration ceremony.

Rafique, in an obvious reference to behind-the-scene manoeuvres, said the culture of conspiring against sitting governments should stop. “With only a few months left in the next general elections, they [hidden forces] should allow the people of this country to decide our fate.”

“We suggest these hidden forces to avoid confrontation because it would not be in the best interests of the country,” Rafique said, adding, “Now, questions are being raised on our religious beliefs.”

“We love Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and we don’t need any one to certify our faith.”

The minister said the movement for Khatm-e-Nabuwwat was in fact Khatm-e-Hakumat (the movement to topple the government), adding that a few parliamentarians coming to the party and parting ways from the PML-N did not make any considerable difference.