Jahangir Tareen stood by the party & would continue to support govt: Fawad
JHELUM, Feb 27 (SABAH): Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday said that the “leaderless” and “aimless” alliance of the opposition parties posed no serious threat to the democratically elected government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
“We have been hearing for the last 15 to 20 days that the no-trust move was around the corner, but in reality, this is beyond their power as they lack the capacity to bring the motion,” he said while addressing a presser in Pind Dadan Khan, Jhelum.
Describing the opposition’s current endeavor to oust the democratically elected government as “futile”, he said their leaders just wanted to keep their members of the Parliament engaged politically.
As regards to the long marches of the opposition parties towards Islamabad, the minister said it seemed the PTI would have to provide them people for “face-saving and political survival”.
Referring to a viral video in which a female leader of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) could be seen riding a donkey cart with party workers, Fawad quipped that he had already offered to provide them with “horses” and “donkeys” for the long march.
To a question, he said PTI leader Jahangir Tareen stood by the party and would continue to support the government. Commenting on the meetings between the government allies with the opposition leaders, the minister said politicians took their decisions by reviewing evolving politics and future political discourse. “Who will prefer to get along with the opposition that does not even know their leader or candidate for the slot of the prime minister,” he questioned.
Commenting on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Russia, he claimed it was for the first time that Pakistan had demonstrated an independent foreign policy.
“Imran Khan is a brave leader,” Fawad said, reiterating his stance that the country should always have a leader of the former’s stature at the national and international level. On the other hand, opposition leaders have no credibility at home or abroad due to their corrupt practices, he maintained.
The PTI stalwart further said that the foreign trip had increased the respect of the nation. “The country would adjust its foreign policy in line with its interests, he said and criticised the critiques of the visit.
Referring to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) criticism, he said they were perturbed by the foreign visit as they had their estates in the West. “They would never return to the country as people have buried their politics.”
Fawad Chaudhry highlighted that PM Imran Khan had always spoken against initiating a war and that he had expressed regret over the one that broke out in Ukraine. “Pakistan has always played a role for peace and wants the world to move forward,” he said while pointing to a surge in the prices of oil and wheat across the globe due to the ongoing conflict.
To another query, the minister said foolproof arrangements had been made for the safe evacuation of Pakistanis stranded in Ukraine in view of the prevailing situation.