‘Focus on Islam, Islamabad is not in your fate’, Sheikh Rashid tells Fazl

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Thursday asked Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman to focus on Islam, saying ‘Islamabad is not in his fate’.

“Fazl-ur-Rehman should keep his attention towards Islam as he leads a religious party; Islamabad is not in his fate,” the seasoned politician said, implying that Fazl’s struggle was only aimed at getting into the corridors of power.

He was addressing the media while accompanied by the Law Minister Barrister Farogh Nasim, Science and Technology Minister Fawad Chaudhry, and others.

Regarding the opposition parties’ slogans, the interior minister said, “no one has advocated the cause of Khatm-e-Nabuwat more than us." He added that the opposition must not incite people in the name of religion and also made it clear that Prime Minister Imran Khan will not recognise Israel at any cost.

Regarding the ongoing foreign funding case, he claimed the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had presented the signatures of 40,000 people as an endorsement of the party’s stance, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) or Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) hadn’t furnished a single cheque.

Addressing the media, Farogh Naseem said holding protests is a right of the opposition, however, he warned that the "the law will take its course if the protestors took the law into their hands".

He advised the protesters to protest as per the law and as civilized citizens. “Protest is your basic right, but the Supreme Court had stated in the Faizabad sit-in hearing that a protest cannot take place everywhere.”

The PDM has announced a protest in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on January 19. PDM chief Fazlur Rehman has demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Imran Khan by January 31 and has warned of a long march towards Islamabad if he does not do so.