ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) seems adamant about its plan of organizing the million-march on August 14 in the federal capital but the government is hopeful that the plan might be changed.
“Wait for a few days, there is a possibility that PTI change its plan,” said Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Parvez Rashid, here on Thursday.
However, the minister did not elaborate his statement whether the government was in negotiations with the PTI over its plan of holding the march in the federal capital.
Addressing the media after the inauguration of ‘home sweet home’ ceremony in Attock on Thursday, the minister said that he had counseled Imran Khan not to turn Independence Day into protest day and perhaps that was the reason that he has given it a new name.
Responding to a question, the minister expressed the hope that Imran would change the date of the protest as well.
While talking about the ongoing military operation in North Wazirstan, the minister said that the government and the armed forces were on the same page with regard to the operation against terrorists. The decision to launch military operation was taken unanimously by the civilian and military leadership, he added.
Responding to a question regarding PTI’s fresh move of moving a reference against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif based on false declarations in his nomination papers, the minister said that the PTI can still pursue its pastime, yet nothing would be achieved by this.
He said that Imran had leveled allegations against former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and that was the reason Dr. Arslan Iftikhar, son of the Justice Chaudhry, had stood up against him and responded. “If Arslan Iftikhar’s father is accused, then the son will respond,” he added.
He said that Sheikh Rasheed, an ally of PTI, only knew how to level allegations but was not aware of the fact that gone are the days when the way of democracy used to be intercepted; it is now a time to curb terrorism.
While talking about Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, the minister said since Qadri had no vote bank in Pakistan that is why he had no interest in electoral reforms.
He also said that Qadri should explain whose agenda he was following by violating law and constitution of the country.