Rashid snubs rumours of Buzdar ouster

Says ‘high profile’ personality expected to lay foundation stone for ML-I

LAHORE:

Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Saturday snubbed the rumours of a change in the Punjab leadership that has once again arisen after the national graft buster probe against the ruling government lawmakers and ministers.

“Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar is not going anywhere and he enjoys [the] full support of Prime Minister Imran Khan,” he responded to a question posed during a press conference at the Pakistan Railways headquarters.

 A combined investigation team of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had directed Buzdar to submit his response to their queries by August 18 (Tuesday) in connection with their investigation into the illegal issuing of a liquor licence to a hotel in Lahore.

The Punjab CM had appeared before the officials of the country’s top anti-graft body on Wednesday. According to NAB sources, the licence was issued to the hotel despite the excise and taxation department referring the matter to the chief minister’s office thrice, informing Buzdar that the move was in violation of the 2009 policy.

“For now, details have been summoned from Buzdar, there is no allegation against him,” Rashid said, adding that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government would complete its tenure.

 Criticising the opposition, he claimed that they only want the National Reconciliation Ordinance and demand of NAB to abolish corruption cases against them. He alleged that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz had attempted to divert the graft buster’s focus from the corruption cases against their party leadership by managing stones pelting on NAB office.

He also spoke about the Mainline-I project, one of the key railway projects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. ML-I project would prove to be a game-changer for the country, he said adding that a “high profile personality” from China was expected to lay the foundation stone of the project soon.

“Credit for the ML-I project goes to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa who kept the project on top priority during their visits to China,” he added. He said the present railway track was laid in 1861 that would be replaced and upgraded under the ML-I project agreement with the cooperation of China.

The minister further said that business in the stock exchange was improving, exports had increased and independent power producers (IPPs) got agreed on reducing the price of electricity with the efforts of PM Imran.

On flattening coronavirus curve in the country, he said that the cases were significantly reduced because of the government anti-virus and smart lockdown strategy, whereas, approximately “1,000 people were dying of Covid-19 daily in India”.

While talking about relations with Saudi Arabia, the railway minister said that the kingdom was a “true friend of Pakistan” and “misunderstandings between the two friends had been removed”. The COAS was going to Saudi Arabia on Sunday (today) that would help bring more improvement in the bilateral ties, he added.

To a query about the diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, Rashid said the Foreign Office statement should be enough for the media.

He also announced that 10 more trains would start chugging along from Tuesday.

Reacting to the railway minister’s statement, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said Rashid wanted to take politics back where former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf had left.

“Those who attempted to kill Maryam Nawaz, stone pelted and injured our party workers will have to answer. The devil of Rawalpindi survived from coronavirus, however, was fearful of Maryam,” he said in an official handout.

The PML-N leader demanded of the railways minister to answer on “economic crisis,” unemployment and hunger in the country. “Rashid should not think about the PML-N, instead he should answer the people on as many as 100 train incidents over the last two years,” he added. (WITH INPUT FROM AGENCIES)