Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Saturday that senior PML-N leader Ishaq Dar will return to the county in the coming week and provide further support to the government’s economic team.
Addressing a news conference in Lahore, Sanaullah said Dar would help Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif manage the country’s economic affairs “better”.
For weeks, speculation has been rife that current Finance Minister Miftah Ismail will replace Dar, with some leading members of the Muslim League (N) – such as Maryam Nawaz and Javed Latif – publicly saying so on several occasions. attacked and opposed his policies, in particular, the inevitable rollback of expensive fuel subsidies introduced by the previous PTI government.
As for the return of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, Sanaullah said that he is the leader of the party and PML-N cannot impose any decision on him, but asked him to join the party next year. has requested to appear for the leadership of the election campaign.
“They have accepted this and whenever elections are held, Nawaz Sharif will return to Pakistan before that.”
A day earlier, the accountability court had suspended the non-bailable arrest warrant against Dar, paving the way for the former finance minister’s return from London, where he has been living in ‘self-imposed exile’ for the past five years. had been.
Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Bashir issued a suspension order for a perpetual warrant of arrest against Dar, which was issued on December 11, 2017, after he absconded from an assets-beyond-means case. The warrants were suspended until October 7, giving the senator-elect a fortnight to surrender to the law.
The court’s decision gave credence to speculation that Dar is returning to the country to take over as finance minister from the beleaguered Miftah Ismail. The change of command will come at a time when the country faces one of its worst economic crises, worsened by an unprecedented devaluation of the currency.
According to political observers, the timing of the court’s decision was significant as the six-month constitutional tenure of the incumbent finance minister ends on Oct 18. Since Ismail is not an elected member of parliament, he cannot hold office as a federal minister beyond that date.
Tonight’s PTI rally
Meanwhile, on the PTI’s call for a rally tonight, Sanaullah said whatever preparation the party had done would come before the people.
He alleged that PTI Chairman Imran Khan was only trying to push the country towards chaos, adding that it was condemnable.
Regarding reports of the government adopting a strict approach towards the PTI, the interior minister questioned the gathered media representatives that if a party said it was marching on to Islamabad then what other response it could be given.
He said that if an “armed gang” came then it was obvious that law enforcement agencies would have to act and stop any such attempt.
“If he comes with the aim to protest, I am saying this on record, we will give them the place, give them security and even food. But if they want to trample over the state or head towards the Red Zone, then it is our constitutional responsibility to stop such people.”
He said that it would be the government’s attempt that “any power that used is done so carefully” to keep losses to a minimum.
The interior minister also assailed the PTI government’s economic performance and blamed it for the current issues in the country. He added that the results of the PTI’s tenure were now coming to the fore and “exposing” the party.
Meanwhile, talking to the media in Karachi, PTI Secretary General Asad Umar said big protests would be taken out by the party in all district headquarters on Imran’s call, adding that a major rally would be taken out in Gulshan-i-Iqbal.
“The nation will stand up and are going to send a clear message that enough is enough.”
Awami Muslim League chief Sheikh Rashid also addressed tonight’s rallies and said “bullets and drones” would not be able to stop the people. He said they were not coming to attack Islamabad but to send a message and get themselves heard.
He also requested civil armed forces to remain confined to government buildings.
مفتاح اور اسحاق ڈار ملکر یا لڑکر بھی معاشی حالات ٹھیک نہیں کر سکتے۔گولیاں اور ڈرون عوام کا راستہ نہیں روک سکتیں۔اسلام آباد پر چڑہائی نہیں دادرسی کے لیے آرہے ہیں۔ سول آرمڈ فورسز سے اپیل ہے کہ وہ سرکاری عمارتوں تک ہی محدود رہیں۔ دنیا میں پیٹرول سستا اور پاکستان میں مہنگا ہو رہا ہے۔
— Sheikh Rashid Ahmed (@ShkhRasheed) September 24, 2022
Formal plan of PTI rally
Islamabad Police says that an important meeting was held to decide the schedule of the PTI rally on the instructions of the Interior Minister.
It was decided in the meeting that the required number of Frontier Constabulary personnel would be provided and the officers were directed to be ready to deal with any law and order situation in accordance with the law.
Islamabad Inspector General of Police Dr. Akbar Nasir Khan said that the police will not allow anyone to disturb the law and order in the city and will take all necessary measures to protect the lives and property of the citizens.
وفاقی وزیر داخلہ رانا ثناءاللہ خان کی خصوصی ہدایت پر کمانڈنٹ ایف سی صلاح الدین محسود اور آئی جی اسلام آباد ڈاکٹر اکبر ناصر خاں کی زیر صدارت دھرنے سے نمٹنے کے لئے سنٹرل پولیس آفس میں اہم اجلاس منعقد ہوا۔دھرنے سے نمٹنے کے لئے باقاعدہ پلان تیار کرلیا گیا۔
— Islamabad Police (@ICT_Police) September 24, 2022
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