Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan addressing the media in Islamabad on Monday. PHOTO: PID
A day after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan invited the army to expand its anti-corruption swoop to Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said he was shocked to see a political leader making such an ‘unconstitutional’ demand.
“It is unconstitutional to extend any invitation to the Rangers for accountability,” Nisar said in a statement on Tuesday. Such a demand only serves to divert the military’s focus from the true purpose of the ongoing operation in Karachi. He added that the Karachi operation had resulted in a marked improvement in law and order in the metropolis.
He regretted that Imran made such a demand for political point-scoring which could make state institutions like the army, Rangers and police controversial. “It is an unwise act on the part of a political leader to involve the state institutions for political gains. It is against democratic norms.”
Nisar said the 1973 Constitution guaranteed the right to free speech, provided citizens upheld their responsibility of speaking within the ambit of law.
Separately, Interior Minister Nisar asked Pakistan’s new envoy to Canada to take up the case of Pakistani nationals being deported from the north American country. High Commissioner-designate Tariq Azim, who is scheduled to travel to Canada after Eidul Azha, called on the interior minister in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Pakistani nationals Aqeeq Ansari and Jahanzeb Malik are suspected of having links with terror groups. Ansari, who is believed to be a member of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, was scheduled for deportation. Malik, who is believed to have been involved in planning attacks on US and Canadian government buildings too is facing deportation.
“I pledge to serve for Pakistanis living in Canada. To bring them all on one platform is my mission. It will make something productive back home for sure,” Azam told The Express Tribune after his meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 16th, 2015.
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