Simmering opposition: ‘Interior ministry will handle PTI’s long march’
Minister for Railways says Imran Khan is welcome to join Independence Day celebrations organised by government.
LAHORE:
Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Friday that the Interior Ministry would handle the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) long march.
He said PTI Chairman Imran Khan was welcome to join the Independence Day celebrations organised by the government.
Addressing a press conference at the Lahore Press Club, he said that government leaders were working on laying foundation stones of energy projects and finalising feasibility reports in this regard.
He said load shedding was not just a problem of power generation but also was linked with transmission.
He said that tripping transformers were a serious problem. He said previous governments had ignored the issue of electricity transmission.
He said the government was working on fixing the power transmission system.
He said the country was engaged in an armed conflict and political leaders should avoid creating mistrust and chaos.
He said unnecessary opposition by the PTI would drive away foreign investment. He said that investors did not invest in a country where political stability was questionable.
On Khan’s allegations of rigging, the minister said the issue was being addressed by the courts and that he no longer wanted to comment on an issue that was no longer relevant.
Rafique said that people who voted for him lived in poor areas and had some expectations for the leader of their constituency. He said votes of the rich were just as important as the votes of the poor.
Commenting on Tahirul Qadri’s call for a revolution, he said he was sceptical of his plans.
Rafique said that Qadri should not pay heed to the proposals of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid leaders as they were irrelevant to the current political situation in Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2014.
Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said on Friday that the Interior Ministry would handle the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) long march.
He said PTI Chairman Imran Khan was welcome to join the Independence Day celebrations organised by the government.
Addressing a press conference at the Lahore Press Club, he said that government leaders were working on laying foundation stones of energy projects and finalising feasibility reports in this regard.
He said load shedding was not just a problem of power generation but also was linked with transmission.
He said that tripping transformers were a serious problem. He said previous governments had ignored the issue of electricity transmission.
He said the government was working on fixing the power transmission system.
He said the country was engaged in an armed conflict and political leaders should avoid creating mistrust and chaos.
He said unnecessary opposition by the PTI would drive away foreign investment. He said that investors did not invest in a country where political stability was questionable.
On Khan’s allegations of rigging, the minister said the issue was being addressed by the courts and that he no longer wanted to comment on an issue that was no longer relevant.
Rafique said that people who voted for him lived in poor areas and had some expectations for the leader of their constituency. He said votes of the rich were just as important as the votes of the poor.
Commenting on Tahirul Qadri’s call for a revolution, he said he was sceptical of his plans.
Rafique said that Qadri should not pay heed to the proposals of Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid leaders as they were irrelevant to the current political situation in Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2014.