F.P. Report
LAHORE: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed on Saturday dispelled the rumours making the rounds concerning internal politics of the country by claiming “nothing would happen.”
During a press conference in Lahore, the minister said that he wasn’t interested in the return of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif from London.
“Nawaz Sharif will not come back [but] now my friend will come back,” he said, adding: “Let Shehbaz Sharif do the work he went for in London.
I had already said that Nawaz Sharif would go abroad and Zardari would be set free from the jail.”
Mr Rasheed expressed hope that the dispute concerning appointment of the Chief Election Commission (CEC) would also be resolved in consensus.
For the NAB Ordinance, the minister remarked that coordination was ongoing between political parties “behind the curtain”.
The railways minister said that “serious” cases were about to be lodged against Shebhaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.
About job opportunities in the railways department, he revealed that the department planned to hire 100,000 employees in March as “a large number of employees are retiring in March.” “I am an ally of Imran Khan, not a member of his party,” Mr Rasheed stressed.
Concerning the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the minister revealed that the PC-1 was submitted in October and it would get approval till March.
“$240 million will be returned in the next 10 years,” he asserted, and admitted inflation and issues, however, said there was no choice other than Prime Minister Imran Khan. Mr Rasheed appealed to the general public to give another year and a half to the government.
“Until Imran Khan stands in support of Usman Buzdar, I too support him […] I am standing with Imran Khan like a shadow.”
Regarding the Kashmir conflict with India, Mr Rasheed said: “I believe we have expressed weakness, however, Pakistanis reacted to the cause unlike in the history.”
“Pakistan has played a responsible role in the American-Iranian conflict […] the war which broke out from Syria, Yemen and Libya has been expanding,” he added.
