Sheikh Rashid sees imminent threat of war with India

Minister says Azadi march will give enemy a chance to create unrest in country

LAHORE: Minster for Railways Sheikh Rashid has said there is a high threat of Indian attack on Pakistan since tensions between the two neighbouring countries are still escalating due to Kashmir issue.

“Indian agents may spoil the law and order situation when Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) led anti-government Azadi march will kick off from Balochistan,” Rashid said on Friday while addressing media at railways headquarters in Lahore.

“The JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman’s sit-in [in Islamabad] might give an opportunity to India to create unrest in the country. The threat is not restricted to Islamabad, however,” he added.

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Rashid said Maulana is among those personalities whose were against the creation of Pakistan.

“He visited the Golden Temple in India but never goes to the shrine of Quaid-e-Azam or Allama Iqbal. It is clear that who is financing his dharna [sit-in].”

According to Rashid, India is happy with the internal rifts in Pakistan.
“This dharna has diverted the entire attention of Pakistani media away from Kashmir crisis. Local as well as Indian media are more interested in covering dharna and other such issues.”

He said Fazl has played a smart move by announcing dates of his protest and sit-in.

“Tableeghi Jamaat’s congregation in Raiwind will be ending in these dates and people who intend to participate in that congregation, largely from Khyber Pakhtunkwa (K-P), will be on their way back.

“The roadblock and other issues might turn them against the government. Maulana will be responsible for causing then inconvenience,” he said.

Azadi March may not take place, hints Sheikh Rashid

He said Fazl always runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds.  This sit-in politics is the biggest decision of his life and its results will be out before November 10, he said. Talking about the health issues of Former premier Nawaz Sharif, he said one should not politicise the health issues of anyone.

“Most of the politicians, even me, are between 65- to 70-year-old. They may get ill anytime. However, I say with confidence that Pakistan People’s Party Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is much more ill than Sharif, but he is not crying like Sharif and his party,” he said.

He said he wished for speedy recovery of Nawaz Sharif, but added that whenever prisoners like Nawaz get ill, they immediately get an opportunity to fly abroad.

“The economic trouble people of Pakistan are currently facing is due to these two parties. Even the entire mess right now can easily be tackled if an NRO [National Reconciliation Ordinance] style-deal is offered to them,” he said.