Security czar presses PM for governor’s rule in Sindh

Sheikh Rashid says PPP led Sindh govt openly violating Constitution

ISLAMABAD:

Infuriated at the open show of dissent by PTI lawmakers, hiding on the pretext of seeking refuge in Islamabad’s Sindh House ahead of the no-confidence vote against the prime minister, nation’s security czar Sheikh Rashid has advised PM Imran to impose governor’s rule in the province of Sindh.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, the interior minister debunked claims made by what he called the “blackmailers and vote sellers” who were part of the PTI and clarified that there was no danger to any lawmaker’s life staying in the Parliament Lodges.

“Horse-trading is being carried out openly... the Sindh House has been exposed,” Rashid said. “Blackmailers and vote-sellers no longer deserve any leniency. The prime minister will have to impose the governor rule.”

He went on to say that there is no other option but to impose governor’s rule in Sindh because the Sindh government is openly violating the Constitution through horse-trading and conspiring against democracy.

"We are not sending police to Sindh House as the dissident PTI lawmakers went to Sindh House because of their greed for money," the interior minister said, “The matter was between the lawmakers and their constituents.”

Earlier, in a tweet, Rashid recalled how on February 25, 2009, ex-PM Yousaf Raza Gilani and former president Asif Zardari had imposed a governor’s rule in Punjab against the government of Shehbaz Sharif.

"The governor rule has been imposed in Sindh three times so far.”

 

سندھ میں گورنر راج کے بغیر اب کوئی دوسرا حل نہیں ہے کیونکہ سندھ حکومت ہارس ٹریڈنگ کرکے کھلم کھلا آئین کی خلاف ورزی کررہی ہے۔ اب بلیک میلرزاور ووٹ بیچنے اور خریدنے والے کسی رعایت کے مستحق نہیں ہیں۔

وزیر اعظم عمران خان کو اب سندھ میں گورنر راج لگانا پڑیگا۔

— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) March 17, 2022

LIVE #APPNews : Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmad talks to media #Islamabad @ShkhRasheed https://t.co/GroOhPkxQ2

— APP 🇵🇰 (@appcsocialmedia) March 17, 2022

 

He also mentioned that the National Assembly session could be convened on March 21.

Referring to PTI’s planned rally at D-Chowk, the interior minister said, "After March 25, there will be Sheikh Rashid, the media and Imran Khan's support. There will be a sea of people on the 27th.”

Addressing a press conference later, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said Rashid made the recommendation in his capacity as an interior minister and an important ally of the government.

"[He said] what Sindh government has done is a flagrant violation of the Constitution," Fawad informed reporters, terming it an important matter that the government would deliberate upon due to the interior minister's advice.

 

#Live: Federal Ministers @Asad_Umar, @Hammad_Azhar and @fawadchaudhry talking to media in Islamabad https://t.co/9l90vlF60V

— Radio Pakistan (@RadioPakistan) March 17, 2022

 

At least five dissident MNAs from PTI including Raja Riaz and Malik Nawab Sher Waseer came out in the open earlier on Thursday, saying that they would cast the no-confidence vote against the premier according to their conscience.