ISLAMABAD - In a bid to counter the criticism on the government, Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid on Wednesday said that Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri are strategic partners of Taliban. “Imran Khan used to share ideology of the Taliban but now he has become their strategic partner,” Rashid said while talking to media persons after attending an education expo. He said while the Taliban are attacking defence institutions of the country, Imran is attacking the democracy whereas Dr Qadri is targeting the constitution of Pakistan. However, he said, “The government will face all three.”
Talking about the peace talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the minister said that government had kept its doors open for those who wanted to engage in peace talks, but those who choose the gun will be dealt accordingly.
He added that bringing back peace to the country is the top priority of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government and to achieve that purpose state power would be used against terrorists.
While talking about Qadri’s announcement to return the country on June 23 he said that people of Pakistan will not become part of any conspiracy and will thwart any such attempt. He said that Qadri just wanted to have some drama as he did during 1990s when he staged a drama of an attempted murder.