RAWALPINDI: Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has very good relations with the establishment besides enjoying public support, adding that the opposition will face a political defeat and humiliation if it does not change its plan to march on Islamabad.

“Incompetent opposition cannot defeat PTI government and Prime Minister Imran Khan. They (the opposition) could not beat the treasury benches on even a single bill during the past three-and-a-half years and now it will face defeat on the streets,” said the interior minister while addressing a ceremony in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

Terming the opposition ‘confused’, Mr Ahmed said political rivals of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) had earlier run away from giving resignations en masse from the parliament while this time they cancelled the plan for moving a no-confidence motion just because they were aware that the treasury benches were “strong enough to tackle” such a situation.

The interior minister said Mr Khan’s statement about how dangerous he would become for the opposition if he would not be in the PM office was a message to the incompetent opposition. He then criticised Maulana Fazlur Rehman, chief of the anti-government Pakistan Democratic Movement alliance, over his remarks against the prime minister. “The only thing they have done is giving irresponsible statements against Imran Khan. The public did not come out on the streets during the last three-and-a-half years and they will not come out now,” he added.

Interior minister says opposition will face political defeat, humiliation on March 23

He refused to comment on the presidential form of government reports which have gone viral on social media. “I am not commenting on the presidential system,” said the minister, who is also chief of the Awami Muslim League-Pakistan (AML-P).

He reminded the media that Prime Minister Imran Khan was going to China on February 3. “He is an honest man and put the country on the development path and he will improve the economy soon,” Mr Ahmed said, adding that he would like to thank Mr Khan for providing health insurance cards to the citizens of Rawalpindi. He also told the media that work on the Rs120 billion Leh Nullah Expressway and Flood Channel project would start soon.

Referring to the protest march, the minister assured the opposition that the government would not create hurdles for them if they follow the law during the protest.

Questioning the agenda behind the anti-inflation march, the minister said: “What is your [opposition] agenda? Why are you marching towards Islamabad? The whole of Islamabad will be closed on March 23. Mobile phone services will also be suspended,” he remarked, reiterating that the opposition would be humiliated if it went on with the planned march.

“I am saying again that it is a sensitive day as on the occasion of Pakistan Day and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Foreign Ministers Council’s presence in the capital, mobile phone services might be suspended as well,” he said.

“If you want to anger them (representatives of OIC countries) for the sake of your personal politics, then come on March 23 and don’t [change the date]. Come on [March] 23 and God willing you will face a political defeat and be humiliated,” Mr Rashid said, according to Dawn.com

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2022