Fazl held one-on-one meeting with Gen Bajwa: Sh Rashid

FAISALABAD: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad Thursday claimed that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman held a one-on-one meeting with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

He challenged that he was ready to divulge details of a one-on-one meeting between Fazl and Bajwa in Lahore if the Maulana dares to deny it.

He expressed surprise over hue and cry over the meetings and asked if it was not an honour to meet the chief of the armed forces. He alleged that the JUI-F chief wanted to intensify sectarian rifts in the country.

Sh Rashid dared the opposition leadership to resign from the assemblies so that they could know about their standing among masses in the next polls.

Sh Rashid claimed that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would never opt for resignations from assemblies as it would be the last nail in his part’s political coffin.

He said the PPP would lose its last citadel, as after tendering resignations, they would never come to power even in Sindh.

He said that the PPP was responsible for the plight of the poor people of Sindh where they were being forced to drink contaminated water as the party failed to provide the basic amenities to the people of Sindh.

The railways minister said that the only aim of the opposition parties was to create hindrance for Prime Minister Imran Khan in acquiring a majority in the Senate after the scheduled polls in March 2021.

Commenting on the speech of Nawaz Sharif, he said that he dug his own grave by passing negative remarks against the Pakistan Army. He said the so-called APC movement of the opposition parties would fizzle out in next four months. He termed claims of the APC a joke with the people of Pakistan as the main political parties participating in the APC remained in power for the last 30 years and they were responsible for inflation, poverty and illiteracy in the country.

“I will now expose a political leader every week from now onwards,” he said.

Sh Rashid said prime minister was a beacon of truth in the country and wanted to reform the country and lead it towards progress and prosperity.

He said it was ironical that some employees getting salary of hardly Rs16,000 found billions of rupees in their accounts. In fact, the corrupt used the bank accounts of the poor people to launder money and they rendered the nation poorer.

Responding to a statement of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that he would not attend a meeting to be participated by Sheikh Rashid, he said: “I have been in politics before the birth of Bilawal. I have worked with senior politician Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan for the Kashmir cause and I will continue serving the nation as long as people vote me to power.”

He appreciated the role of Pak Army and said that the organised institution was not only defending country’s geographic boundaries but also helping the civilian government in dealing with the natural calamities.

He said that Nawaz Sharif kept mum for the last one year, while twitter of Maryam Nawaz remained dry for 10 months. The reason behind their silence was that they wanted to materialise their long-standing demand for an NRO [secret deal].

However, Prime Minister Imran Khan remained firm in the saddle and refused to give any relief to the looters and plunders, who were again hoping for another royal treatment.

He said that Imran Khan was the elected civilian prime minister and the army was fully supporting him as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan.

Sh Rashid said the PML-N was at the verge of division and soon “N” would give birth to “Sheen”.

He said that the APC was a gathering of failed politicians and he would arrange a public meeting in the same city next day where the APC would organise its protest meeting.

About Faisalabad, he said that it is one of the most important cities of Pakistan which is generating sufficient funds for the country.

He announced Rs20 million for repair and renovation of Faisalabad Railway Station.

Earlier, Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Railways Mian Farrukh Habib also addressed the conference and said that a visible improvement would be brought in the railways soon.

He said that the PM is taking interest in the up-gradation of railways system as it is imperative for strengthening the national economy.