‘Govt, army on same page’

Denying rumours of any incipient rifts between the federal government and the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly Haleem Adil Sheikh stressed that they were both on the same page.

Addressing a press conference in Larkana on Saturday, Sheikh referred to the earlier statements by the foreign minister and the Inter-Services Public Relations director-general, stating that India was running terror and mayhem machines in Pakistan.

"India is spending billions of rupees on separatist outfits," he said. "But our country is stronger [because] unlike the past, the government and the army are on one page."

Pointing towards scandals during previous governments, he argued that the Pakistan Democratic Movement was trying to weaken the country.

"The parties in this movement have received money to create the impression that the people of Pakistan aren't happy with the government of [Prime Minister] Imran Khan," he alleged, going on to claim that patriotic politicians who understood these designs had already left the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

"[PML-N chief] Nawaz Sharif is treading on the heels of [Muttahida Qaumi Movement founder] Altaf Hussain," he alleged, further stating that Pakistan Peoples Party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said he would make Gilgit another Larkana, where the people were compelled to drink contaminated water, where AIDS was spreading and where medicines were stolen from the government hospitals.

Commenting on the recent gang-rape incident in Kashmore, Sheikh criticised the unnoticeable role of the Sindh government's child and women protection cells. According to him, the child survivor was shifted to a hospital in Karachi because of the poor health facilities in Kashmore and Larkana.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2020.