LAHORE - Senior Politician Sheikh Rashid Ahmed says it is too late now for the government to establish contain with PTI Chairman Imran Khan to dissuade him from going ahead with his long march on Islamabad, scheduled for Aug 14.
Addressing a news conference here on Monday, he said there is a time for everything and the time for contact with the PTI chairman is already over.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was quoted as saying that he is willing to meet Imran Khan a 100 times if such an initiative can persuade him to drop his long march idea.
Answering a question, the Awami Muslim League president said in case the government tried to block the long marchers’ way to Islamabad, sit-ins would be staged in all provinces.
He was confident that Imran Khan and Dr Tahirul Qadri would ultimately agree on the same date for the long march.
Sheikh Rashid and the Chaudhrys are doing their best to bring the two leaders closer to ensure the success of their common mission.
The AML leader said although the PTI’s core committee had certain reservations about joining hands with the PAT, the sensitivity of the situation would force them to review their thinking.
He said the PPP and the MQM have to take decisions about their role in the present situation. The role of the two parties would be very crucial, he said.
He said on August 14 it would become very clear which side the nation was on. That would be really an important day in the country’s history, he said of the likely outcome of the political struggle being made by the anti-government parties.
He alleged that the government through its acts was inviting the army to take over.
He strongly criticized the government and its policies which had failed to deliver.
Alluding to the prime minister’s extended stay in Saudi Arabia, the former minister said the country was passing through a very serious crisis but the head of government was performing non-obligatory prayers there.
He alleged that the government had not made even a single appointment on merit. Favouritism and nepotism, he alleged, were the main considerations.
Sheikh Rashid ridiculed the claims that the chief minister was not aware of the operation in Model Town that led to more than a dozen deaths. This is just not possible that the chief minister was not in the loop.
The phone calls and text messages of the rulers would expose the truth, he said, adding that ‘approvers’ would also come to the fore.
He told a questioner that fresh elections could steer the country out of the present situation.