Govt to file mutiny case against Fazl over ‘provocative’ speech – Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Adopting an aggressive stance, the Pakistani government Tehreek-i-Insaf on Saturday warned participants in the Azadi march not to move towards the sensitive D-Chowk and decided to present a riot case against Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam -Fazl (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for delivering a provocative speech and "instigating people" against the prime minister and state institutions.

At the same time, the government offered an olive branch to the opposition by extending the offer of dialogue and expressing its willingness to revive the Parliamentary Commission that had been constituted last year to address the issue of alleged fraud in the 2018 general elections.

Speaking at a press conference with members of the government negotiating team and after attending a meeting of the central PTI governing committee chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Defense Minister Pervez Khattak said they had decided to "move courts "against Maulana for" Instigar "the public and ask them to arrest the prime minister.

Discards the possibility of the Prime Minister's resignation; offers to revive the parliamentary body for the survey manipulation probe

The head of JUI-F, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who heads the Azadi anti-government march, while giving a two-day ultimatum to Prime Minister Khan at the end of his speech on Friday, said the public could arrest the prime minister at his residence and force me to quit

"Such an announcement is equivalent to instigating the masses and an act of mutiny," said Mr. Khattak.

The Federal Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Shafqat Mahmood, the Minister of Religious Affairs, Noorul Haq Qadri, the former finance minister Asad Umar and the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Media, Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, were also present during the press conference, which was held in a committee House of the House of Parliament.

The defense minister said the PTI government was not "worried at all" about the opposition's Azadi march, but that the speeches of opposition leaders who "slandered national institutions" were unfortunate. He said that speeches against institutions that gave sacrifices for the country would amount to "enmity with the country."

Khattak, who also heads the team consisting of the prime minister to hold talks with the opposition before Azadi's departure, categorically stated that Prime Minister Khan would in no way submit his resignation.

The government, he said, would not succumb to the threats and pressure tactics of the opposition.

"If the participants of the Azadi march move forward from the agreed place, it will be seen as a violation of the agreement with the local administration," said the minister, stating that such an act would force the authorities to take action under the law.

"If something happens and damage is caused, then the responsibility will lie with the opposition, not the government under the agreement," Khattak announced, asking the media to witness the fact that the government did not violate the agreement. .

The minister said the government was open to dialogue with opposition parties, but at the same time warned that the law would run its course if it violated the agreement signed with the Islamabad administration.

Khattak said it was the opposition that "did not press for" the work of the parliamentary commission on rigging. He said he was even ready to have an "open meeting" of the parliamentary commission if the opposition wanted it.

The minister also said they were in contact with the Rehbar committee members, including their convener and the JUI-F leader, Akram Durrani, and expressed the hope that the opposition would not violate the agreement. For the talks, he said, the opposition must file lawsuits while remaining within the limits of the Constitution.

The only demand the opposition had made so far was the resignation of the prime minister, he said, adding that this demand was not acceptable to the government. He asked the opposition "don't even think about it [PM’s resignation]. "

"If 30,000 or 40,000 or 50,000 people come and say they want to overthrow the government, it can't happen," Khattak said.

Without naming the president of the People's Party of Pakistan (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the defense minister said those who had opposed the use of religion for politics were also present in the container with the head of the JUI -F.

In response to a question about reports that some of the protesters carried the flags of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Afghanistan, Khattak said that perhaps some elements wanted to spread the anarchy in the country.

The minister said: "All institutions are on the same page and the army has always supported democratic governments."

He then criticized the Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and the president of the Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Shahbaz Sharif, for stating that his party had not received as much support from the institutions as the ruling PTI was enjoying. The defense minister said everyone knew that General Niazi had taken the Sharif brothers to politics.

Khattak said the army was playing a "completely neutral" role and had already issued a statement in response to criticism from the opposition.

Former finance minister Asad Umar also criticized the opposition leader for claiming that the PTI government had immense support from the country's "institutions."

He asked Sharif how his family could have "hosted the Indian Prime Minister in private meetings" at his home if they had not had the support of the military. "Did the army prevent him from building schools and hospitals, or repairing police and judicial systems?" Asked Umar.

Education Minister Shafqat Mahmood said that Prime Minister Khan had effectively raised the Kashmir problem in all forums, while Maulana was working on his own agenda. He added that the Indian media were giving wide coverage to the march.

Fawad's tweet

Federal Minister of Science and Technology, Fawad Chaudhry, through his official social media account on Twitter warned the opposition not to take the law into their hands. "Do not dare to underestimate the PTI government. We are exercising moderation because Imran Khan has desired it. If he (IK) makes a call, this group of opportunists will not find a place to hide in Pakistan," the minister tweeted.

Opposed contacts

The sources said that during the meeting of the central committee, the prime minister declared the opposition's demand for his resignation as "unconstitutional and undemocratic." However, he advised the negotiating committee to involve the opposition and keep it informed about the events.

According to reports, the prime minister instructed the interior ministry to be prepared for any unfortunate incident.

Meanwhile, the president of the National Assembly, Asad Qaiser, and the president of the Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani, contacted the leaders of the PPP, the PML-N and the Awami National Party on Saturday, asking them to come to the negotiating table to resolve the persistent crisis amicably.

Sources said Qaiser spoke by telephone with Sharif and Mian Iftikhar of ANP, while Sanjrani contacted the PPP secretary general, Nayyar Bokhari, before the meeting of the Rehbar opposition committee.

Posted in Dawn, November 3, 2019